


My Story

by Rainbowhawk1993



Category: Divinity Original Sin 2, Divinity: Original Sin (Video Games)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Freeform, F/M, Female Godwoken - Freeform, Interspecies Romance, POV Original Female Character, Wizard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-07-23 21:32:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 52,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16167335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbowhawk1993/pseuds/Rainbowhawk1993
Summary: My name is Mahalia. I was an aspiring Lizard Scholar for the Ancient Empire, but I found myself caught up in an adventure that would change my life and the world forever. I'll now tell you the story of my journey alongside the three others who made me who I am today. (Rated Teen with possible change to Mature in the future)





	1. Chapter 1

_Where am I?_

I open my eyes. I find myself standing on the deck of a massive ship. A frigate, from what I observe. I see the ship's crew walking around the deck. They act as if they're oblivious to my presence. I call out to the nearest one. He doesn't respond and continues past me. I feel a growing dread and fear inside my belly. Like a fungus growing and weighing my stone stomach down.

_Why am I here? How am I here?_

I look up, hoping to get a first step in figuring it out. But that hope disappeared when I saw there was no bright sun above with its rays tearing into my eyes. Nor was there the portrait of the constellations that painted the sky above. There wasn't even a blanket of clouds suppressing the world to the color of grey threatening to unleash its furious storms onto the sailors crossing the seas. Instead, I see and endless darkness stretching on to forever with auras of green infecting the air. Below it, I see the tops of spires emerging from below as the ship proceeded past them. My eyes lock onto one of the spires and move to the side to see it pass by. My vision moves from the top of it to the base below. I see the ship was not in a body of water to support its form, but it was hovering in a stream of glowing mist, as if it was carrying it along its way.

I feel a chill course though my body, causing a shortness in my breath. It wasn't from the elements of the outside, but rather voices that flowed into my body. It felt like this realm was infecting me with these voices. My mind couldn't process the words coming in causing me to shutter and kneel.

I close my eyes and breath in a gasp of petrified air into my lungs. For the briefest moment, my mind was clear enough to make an educated guess to what this place was. Coming up with that guess made me even more afraid.

_Am I in the Hall of Echoes?_

The realm of the afterlife for the souls of Rivellon? Was I dead?

Before I could bring my thoughts to bare, a mighty shriek erupted below. My body is shaken causing me to stand up and attempt to maintain my balance. When I regain my bearings, I find the deck of the ship had disappeared and was replaced with the metallic ground of one of the spires. I look out to see an endless darkness below. I turn my head to my side and I see two people standing next to me, both looking down at the chasm. The one nearest is an Elf holding two daggers while the other next to her was a Lizard holding a sword and shield. I turn my head back the other direction to see one more person standing beside me. This time it was a human who held a crossbow.

I move my eyes back down to the chasm to see something emerge from the darkness. It was something massive. It rose up over me and those beside me. It was a monster. It looked down at us. Its gaze peered into me, paralyzing my body with the fear and awe presented. A glow grew in the back of its jaws as it reared back. A stream of jade colored fire shot out. I feel my eyes widen as the beam of flame hurdled towards me. Only my fear remained as the flames closed the distance…

* * *

"So! Still a bit groggy, are we?"

I feel my senses slowly returning to me. My head, my arms and then all the other extremities. I feel the senses in my chest exhale sending a moan through my neck and out my mouth. My mind was still in a haze when the voice spoke to me again.

"Don't worry, the sedative will wear off soon enough."

_Sedative?_

I was drugged? Where was I? How did I get here?

At that moment, I could hear the figure who spoke to me pull a leaver nearby causing a series of gears to engage. It was then that the senses that returned told me I was shackled down on a wooden table. The mechanism caused the table to tilt forward to where my body was half way upright. The restraints popped off freeing me. As I began to move my body from its dormant state, the person spoke to me again.

"Easy now. No need to hurry. Get your bearings, then report to me upstairs."

With that, the person, who I recognized to be a human woman, headed up a set of stairs and opened the hatch above leaving me alone in the chamber.

I lean my body up. I bring my hand to my head to rub whatever clarity back into my mind. I move my feet forward and my body follows. My balance is a little jarring, but it steadily finds its equilibrium. After a few more seconds of adjusting, everything becomes clear now.

I raise my arms up and look down. I see the ten fingers of my scaly hands and the long nails reaching out from the tips. They look the same way as I remember save a little crack here and there. Not uncommon for a Lizard. The color of my scales is a light blue, a color many refer to as cornflower. I look in the corner of my eyes to see the edge of my frill around the back my head. It's the color of bright orange. Some people I knew told me I had the appearance of a bright flower. The only thing that intrudes on my appearance were the rags I was clad in. A departure from my wizard robes I wear normally. To top it off, a fair amount of dust and dirt littered my body. I wasn't one of those nobles who obsessed about their appearance and cleanliness, but I did wish to clean myself if I got the chance.

I look around me. I was in a dungeon. No… everything was wood not stone. I then feel the sway of the sea rocking the room up and down. It was the hold of a ship. A ship?

"So it…" I say to myself. "It wasn't a dream after all..."

I recall the dream I had. The ship, the river of the dead, the monster. An unsettling feeling grasps my stomach. I am immobile for a few moments before I put away those thoughts into the back of my mind.

It is then that I feel an uncomfortable constraint on my long slender neck. I reach up and grasp a metal collar with my claws. I yank on it only to have it feel tighter on me. I pull harder but of course it makes it worse. I gag from the intrusion on my windpipe. Why did I think it would be different?

_Idiot._

Regaining my breath and giving up on the collar, I refocus my mind to the immediate issue: why am I here?

I look over to the stairway the woman ascended. Perhaps she could tell me. I move my leg forward and my body finds its rhythm, my long tail in tandem with my reptilian form. I ascend the stairs. At the top I push the hatch open to reveal a lab with tubes, desks and books everywhere. It seemed to be the stern section of a frigate, from what I recall from my studies. I step out and see a platform leading to the door out of this section of the ship. The women who released me stood there looking at a book opened on a podium. She looked up at me.

"Why, you're looking a bit more chipper!" she said in a proud and pleasant voice. "Come here and allow me to get a better look."

I close the hatch behind me and proceed up the small flight of stairs leading to the platform. I stand before her, looking down as she leans forward to inspect the collar on my neck. Compared to humans, Lizards were usually taller. Males were six feet tall on average, while females like me were usually seven feet, in human measurements.

"Yes… looks like that collar fits you snugly enough," she said. "Nice bit of work, even if I do say so myself."

I give her a puzzled look as I reach up and gently hold the collar, careful not to move it into another uncomfortable position.

"Oh, not to worry," she said before I could ask anything. "Every dog has to get used to its leash."

Her pleasant voice gave me a very unsettling feeling.

"In the meantime, your next stop will be Magister William. All passengers have to be registered in the ship's manifest, and he's the chap in charge of the logs."

She opened the door behind her and held out her hand to show me the way.

"You'll find him on the other side of this deck, in the officers' quarters."

I hold off following her instructions to ask her a question.

"I… I had a dream I was riding a ship through the sea of the dead. We… we're not dead, are we?"

"No… you're alive and you're having a conversation," she said. "You are on a ship of course, but luckily for us both we're merely sailing the plain old sea."

I would be relieved but the rags and the collar she put on me prevented me from getting that feeling. She pauses a moment and gives me a scrutinizing gander.

"My word, you do seem a bit befuddled, don't you? Perhaps I was a bit too generous with that sedative…"

I say nothing.

"Oh well, I'm sure you'll soon gather your wits," she moves her eyes to the side, reconsidering her statement. "Most likely," she looks to the other side. "Eventually. But, In the meantime, all you need to know is that we're on route to Fort Joy."

She exclaims more enthusiasm for what she says next.

"A new life awaits! And if you're a particularly good girl, perhaps a cure as well. An end to Source- for good!"

End to Source? Was that possible? Source was the mysterious power that flowed into the world of Rivellon from another world know as the Void. Those who were able to absorb source and use it to cast special magic were known as Sourcerers. I was one of them.

"And this collar?" I ask her.

"It for peace of mind, mine and the world's. Why don't you try casting one of those Source spells of yours? See what happens…"

The enthusiasm in her eyes peered into me. It had to be a trick.

"No, I…" I mutter. "I don't want to."

"Oh, do go on. I won't hold it against you. Promise," she replied with a smile.

"Please leave me alone. I'm not going to," I firmly said back to her.

"My, aren't we a meek little lamb?" she said. "Perhaps I needn't have collared you at all, though it does look darling on you."

I roll my eyes.  _No mention of the discomfort?_

"So, let's just leave it on, shall we? Because to answer your question, what this collar does is this: It makes you unable to cast Source. For your own peace of mind, of course. Yours and the whole world's. Now please move along. Magister William is waiting for you."

She moved back to the log book leaving me alone in front of the open doorway. With no other options presented, I proceeded through the doorway.

I now remembered what had happened prior to this. The Divine Order, Bishop Alexander, The Voidwoken, and how I ended up here.

My people, the Lizards, hailed from the Ancient Empire. The Empire originated from an arid desert land, where our people basked in the sun and we grew to become a powerful society of hierarchy and discipline.

I was born to the House of Law, one of the three houses of the Empire. The other two were the House of War and the House of Dreams. The House of War was the sword of the empire, bringing the might of our warriors to vanquish the aggressors who wished to harm the Empire and its people. The House of Dreams were a collection of mystics who were able to traverse the Dreamworld to foresee the future. The House of Law was the house that acted as a counterweight to the House of War. It was our job to uphold and amend the law as it was seen fit to maintain stability in the Empire.

My family raised me to become a knowledgeable scholar and diplomat. Though I did posses some connection to the arts of mystics, and later my ability to cast Source, it wasn't powerful enough for me to be a dreamer. For me, knowledge was my passion. Knowledge and diplomacy. I spent most of my days in the libraries of the Empire to learn almost everything I could get my claws on. Legends of old, histories of the outside, battle tactics of armies, the procedures of law, almost anything I could learn I did.

Of course, that didn't mean I was a shy little Lizard girl who feared the outside world. I was trained in the arts of the elements. Aerotheurgy, Geomancy, Pyrokinesis and Hydrosophy. I used my spells on training dummies, but I never actually killed anyone with my magic as of yet. And being a member of the House of Law, I trained heavily in the art of speech to achieve diplomacy.

I spent my spare time getting fresh air at the many natural springs in the Empire. I liked to plant my talons of my feet into the dirt and inhale the air around me while the sun warmed the cold blood in my veins. After that, a nice swim in water helped me clean up before returning to my training or studies. I currently am nearing the end of the adolescent period of my life. That is the time of our life where one tends to be directed toward their path to be taken. I was a top student who was selected to have the opportunity to be on one of the highest councils of the House.

But that of course ended when the Divine Order decreed Sourcerers, me included, were to be restrained and rounded up. Why you may ask? Because the use of Source attracted the Voidwoken, monstrous beings who emerged from the Void. The first Voidwoken emerged into our world shortly after Lucian the Divine, the renowned human who was granted divine powers by the Seven Gods, sacrificed himself to defeat the sinister Black Ring in devastating battle several years ago. After his son, Bishop Alexander, took control of the Divine Order, he made the decree to round up the Sourcerers so they wouldn't attract the Voidwoken.

I was unfortunate to be outside the Empire when the decree was made. I was traveling with an envoy to practice my diplomatic skills with those outside the Empire. I remember Divine Order Magisters surrounding me on the streets of the city I was visiting. And the next thing I know, I found myself here.

I proceeded down the hallway to see two Magister guards guarding a door to my right. As I pass, I take a glance through the ajar door to see…

"Good gods!" I gasp and look away. The sight went directly to my stomach. I couldn't believe what I saw. A human, mangled and mutilated into a pile of gore and limbs in the middle of the room. I haven't seen any death first hand in my lifetime, either by my own hands or of someone else. What a rough introduction.

"Easy now- you're paler'n me arse," one of the guards said. "Whyn't yu move along."

I regain my composure.

"Who did this?" I asked.

"Waters is investigating," the guard said. "She'll figure out who did it. Always does. Right now, you should move along."

I look uneasily at the door. Not inside, but rather the frame of the door way. But as I turn to leave, the Magister in the room emerged.

"Hold it," Waters said to me. I stop and look around. "Come here. I have something to ask you."

Fear took a hold of me for a moment. But I take a deep breath. I walk back to the door and follow the Magister inside.

"Ugly sight, isn't it?", she asked me.

I do my best to avert my eyes from the corpse at my feet and fend off the stench flowing into my nostrils. I nod.

"We're extremely lucky no Voidwoken followed the Source that did this," she said. "Burns me up this happened under our protection."

"Protection?" I say. "We're your captives."

"Finn didn't see it like that. He was desperate for us to help him. Two things scared the living daylights out of him: His own Shadow, and his own Source. We'll find out who did this. Speaking of…"

She looked up at me with a mirthless smile.

"I was on duty in your room when the murder happened. You were asleep the whole time. You're one of the only indisputably innocent people on the ship. Unless you can commit murder in your sleep, of course."

"Well, I'm not a Dreamer," I say. "I truly sleep like any other living creature."

"Figured as much. Listen…" she crept forward and leaned her head forward. "I could use someone to keep their ears open among the passengers. Sometimes they clam up in front of a uniform. Bring me a good lead and I'll throw in a shiny gold coin for you. How about that?"

I found it preposterous that this megastar would have me, a prisoner, try to find a murderer and all she would give me would be a pitiful amount of currency. What use would I have for it? Well, I could possibly pay for food to prolong my life, as I've read that some prisons had systems of trade among inmates.

Some part of me wanted her to shove off. But seeing I was defenseless, and these Magisters were well more equipped to resist my normal spells that didn't require Source, I settled on going along with the current situation.

"I'll… I'll see what I can turn up."

"Thanks," waters said. "Now off you go."

I turn and exit the room. The smell still tainted my nostrils. But I proceeded back down the corridor leading to the main hold.


	2. Chapter 2

 

The hold of the ship was filled with two dozen passengers. A third were Magisters standing at attention and patrolling the hold keeping an eye out. The rest of the passengers were a mixture of Lizards, Humans, Dwarves and Elves all clad in rages and each supporting a collar. The scene gave me a discerning sense in my talons below. I was just the latest prisoner to be rounded up and thrown into the cage along with all the rest. Not to mention one of them was a murderer.

 

As I move across the deck, I see a ball rolling toward me. I lift my talon from the ground and stop the ball under it. I see a trio of human children run toward me. They stop and look up at me. All three of them had Source collars on them. The one in the back looks to be a little nervous. He probably was scared to see a Lizard for the first time. I could understand to a point as humans and Lizards were radically different in appearance and biology. Elves, Humans and Dwarves shared many similarities on the surface. Hair, soft-skin and warm blooded. Only real differences were height and some internal traits. Lizards on the other hand were scaly skinned, cold blooded and instead of strands of hair, many of us had horns on various parts of the body. While the child in the back was hesitant, the other two seemed to be fascinated when they looked at me.

 

"Wow! Are you a dragon?” the girl of the group said. “You look like a dragon. But... where are your wings?"

 

The comment made me chuckle a bit. But what made it funny was that there were old legends that Lizards were once Dragons thousands and thousands of years ago. But those were old tales and even I, with my scholarly statues, don’t know if they were true. Regardless, I felt alleviated just for a moment. It was enough to make me grin.

 

“As much as it would be amazing for me to fly, I’m only a simple lizard,” I kneel to the children’s level.

 

"My mum is afraid of lizards,” the third child said stepping forward. “I'm not! I think you're neat. I'd be happy if I had a tail."

 

The enthusiasm in the child’s voice made me feel warm in my core.

 

“It’s hard for me to imagine other species living without one,” I say. “Though I imagine they wouldn’t have the problem of it knocking over things in tight spaces or having it get caught in closing doorways.”

 

“Is that what happened to you?” the boy who wasn’t afraid of Lizards said.

 

“Oh yes,” I say with a smile remembering my childhood. “I can’t remember how many times my family scolded me for accidentally knocking over stacks of books in the family study as a hatchling. But thank you for the kind words. It’s heartwarming to know other people think we’re a fascinating people.”

 

I grab the ball and I hold it up to the child. He comes over and takes the ball from my hand, but he stays a little moment to feel the texture of my hand and the nails of my claws. I let him do so and his eyes go wide with exactment.

 

“Do you want to play with us?” the child asked me.

 

I grin. “Thank you for the offer. But I must be somewhere else for the moment. But perhaps after I’m done, I’ll do that.”

 

“Okay,” the child said. “Thank you, lizard lady.”

 

The children run off to the corner of the ship they were playing ball in. I feel a sense of happiness, but it is then replaced with dread. To see children rounded up like this wearing these damnable collars. What would be their fate? What would be my fate?

 

I stand up and proceed the other way around to the center, where I saw the food was served. My stomach growled. It’d had been a while since I’d eaten it seems. Even though I had a feeling the food would be bad, I knew I had to suck it up if I were to keep myself fed.

 

As I rounded the corner of a pillar, I see a figure tucked away in a dark corner of the hold. I look closer to see it was an elf. I hear her roll a set of dice on the surface of a barrel.

 

“Snake eyes,” she said. Her voice was a low hum, like that of a plotting and confident trickster. I hear her chuckle before following up her sentence. “I’ll bet that’s just what they’ll look like.”

 

I probably would have kept going to keep my distance from this mysterious person, especially with what she was implying with her sentence. But I found myself being drawn to her. Like something you do when you notice something that was familiar. I approach her, the creaking floor boards were loud enough to announce my presence as to not surprise her.

 

“What are you doing?” I ask her.

 

She turned her head and looked at me with her two yellow eyes. Though it was for a split second, I could see a little bit of a wince in her gaze, like she wasn’t expecting a lizard to be talking to her. But she grinned, probably to stow away something suspicious she planned.

 

"Rolling dice,” She looked back down at the dice. “Deciding fates."

 

The tone of her voice caused an uneasiness to flow into my legs. I try to keep my composure together. I have several years of public speaking training after all. I should keep sturdy, shouldn’t I?

 

"Who's fate?" I ask.

 

"Don't worry, honey,” she said. “It isn't yours."

 

As soon as she said that, she looked me up and down with a merest hint of a coy smile.

 

"Never say never though."

 

"If…if you’re deciding fates with dice, you think you can see the future?"

 

She eyed me quite seriously.

 

"Not the future, no,” she said. “But I can read the past in flesh. One of the perks of being an elf, you see. I'm quite good at it too.”

 

I knew that the elves were a race that were cannibalistic in their society from my studies. But this trait of reading the past by eating the remains of someone who’s died, it caught my attention.

 

“I could lick your arm and tell you how you spent the night before last. Shall I?"

 

At first, I feel hesitant. Letting this skiving looking character touch my arm, not to mention lick it. For some reason, I feel enthralled to see if this trait was true.

 

"Why not?" I hold out my arm down toward her. It wasn’t like I should be concerned about my cleanliness in a place like this.

 

She takes a hold of my arm with both hands. She leans her head in. She closed her eyes and ran her tongue against the platted surface. She tilted her head up, staring into the air with her eye lids still closed.

 

"Hmmm...” she said. I see her eyes move behind her eye lids, like she was interpreting a vision coming into her mind. “You were in a cellar with other Sourcerers. As everyone lay sleeping you lay awake thinking of someone back home. A very special someone.”

 

_Brell._

 

“You were...reminiscing about the things you used to do together."

 

My dearest friend. A noble in the House of Law. We were friends as children. I remember going out to the springs with him and other friends I had. But after a while, we stopped seeing each other until much later in my life after earning my recognition as a scholar. Brell had become a business man, earning very sizable income for his family’s legacy. My family took notice had arranged a marriage with him, so our families would be merged to become more influential in the Empire. Before my capture, he proposed and gave me the wedding band. I accepted. Unfortunately, I was needed to travel to the outside world before the ceremony could take place. I feel even more dread within me. I longed to return home. To return to my parents, to return to Brell.

 

I feel the Elf let go of my arm. It returns to my side. I hang my head down in embarrassment. I feel her pat my other arm. I look over at her.

 

"There, there. Don't you worry, darling,” She said with another coy smile. “Your secret's safe with me. I don't lick and tell."

 

I feel somewhat reassured. When my mind completely returns to the present, I remember the pressing issue on the boat.

 

“There’s… there’s a murderer on the loose.”

 

“Yes. Everyone on this boat knows,” the elf said.

 

“Well, perhaps you could help with the investigation with this skill.”

 

I hide away my suspicion that she could be the murderer. In the Empire, there were several murder cases that were highly organized, and the least suspicious person turned out to be the mastermind behind it.

 

“Why would I do that?” she said. “It’s of no benefit to any of us. At the end of the day, we’re still cattle rounded up to be sent to the slaughter.”

 

She did have a point. A point that I was denying the moment I told Waters I’d cooperate.

 

“My advice; just stay silent and defend yourself if the murderer comes after you next. Besides, I never leave the people I kill in a mangled mess like that.”

 

She turns back to the barrel. I turn and leave her be. Elves were very mysterious creatures. Though I was a scholar and learned so much from the texts, there still wasn’t a real understanding of the inner workings of the Elven society. Especially since there were relatively less of them compared to the other races in Rivellon.

 

I walk down to the mess area of the hold where several Sourcerers were sitting at the tables eating whatever food was available. I look to the serving counter and see a Lizard serving stew to the Sourcerers lining up. The last person in line was another Lizard, a red male one.

 

“You call this food?” the red lizard held the bowl of stew up, shaking it and spilling some of it onto the floor. “I am nobility! I deserve more than this slop.”

 

“It’s all that’s available,” the lizard server said. “I’m sorry.”

 

“I refuse to consume anything that’s below my standards!” He tosses the bowl to his left, the stew “If you were a cook in the Empire, you would have been castrated for this insulting quality.”

 

He turns away and sees me waiting to get a bowl for myself.

 

"Well, well! What have we here?” The red lizard looked at me with a pondering gaze. “A fresh face in this stale hell. Let's size you up, shall we? See if you'll do."

 

I get an uncomfortable feeling seeing him looking me up and down. Suddenly, I feel him grab me by the chin. I feel him casually turn my head to the left or the right. Probably looking into my mouth to see my teeth. For the moment, I feel frozen, not from fear, but rather surprise. No lizard I knew of acted like this. I mean, some nobles in the House of Law acted snooty and were obsessive about their appearance, Brell included after I met him again after so long. But this lizard, I had a hunch where he came from.

 

"Mmmmm...There's some discoloration, but I've seen worse,” He lets me go. I adjust my head back to look down at him. “After all, one can't expect to find prime merchandise on a squalid little ship like this."

 

_Oh dear._

 

"Now then, to business. You will answer me three questions. The first one is this: can you cook?"

 

The question hung over me. I didn’t know what to do.

 

“Well…” I say. “I’ve learned enough skills to prepare something that can do the job, if I were given ingredients.”

 

"Ah! Music to my beleaguered Stomach!" he said. "On to the second question. Can you knit, weave, in short: tailor?"

 

Having lived in a home without servants, I had to learn some skills from mother early on in my life.

 

“Yeah, I have some skills thanks to the family activities as a hatchling.”

 

"Oh, but to feel the caress of satin on my scarlet skin once more! A most satisfactory answer indeed!" He seemed excited now. As if hoping the next question would be answered correctly.

 

"On then, to my final query. Have you the ability to administer the upkeep of one's personal appearance? The delicate art of cosmetics is what I'm after."

 

Having been acquainted with Brell’s family who were nobles, they taught me a thing or two about this sort of thing.

 

“Some,” I say. “I’m acquainted with perfumes, though it wasn’t my passion.”

 

"The very basics then. I suppose that's a start. So! Three questions asked, three questions answered. Let's evaluate, shall we? As per your own testimony, you can cook, tailor and groom. Well, that just about settles it!"

 

He speaks with a great amount of pride.

 

"I offer you my sincerest congratulations: as of now, you are my slave!"

 

Yep. It confirmed my suspicion. He was defiantly a member of the House of War. The House of War was notorious for their practice of slavery. From what I heard, there were several stories within the Forbidden City and those of slavery were the most notorious. It was said that Lizardkin were no longer cast as slaves in the Ancient Empire, while other races who were born within were set within their cast. I myself have only encountered several servants in the House of Law, Brell’s family included. From what I’ve seen, they seemed to be treated fairly. But I did remember that Brell got upset at one of the servants who botched a stitching job and scolded her severely.

 

But the House of War? Anything seemed possible. In the early days, there were stories that many lower classed kin were brought to be servants and concubines for the nobles. This one must have had plenty based on his behavior.

 

“Really?” I say, mustering up enough sarcasm to hopefully give him the message.

 

"Of course! Oh, but I see. Yes, I suppose it must take some time for the full extent of this honor to sink in.”

 

I was really surprised to see that he seemed to not receive any of my sarcasm. The delusion of this snooty character was astounding.

 

“Anyway, you may leave me for the moment. We'll go over your duties once we reach Fort Joy. Now shoo."

 

I snort a sigh. I look to see the server had another bowl ready for me. I grab it and give her a nod to show my gratitude. It wasn’t the most formal greeting we lizards usually gave each other, but it had to do to get away from this delusional snoot to his bickering.

 

I find a vacant table. I maneuver my tale over the pew and sit. I look down at the stew and I smell it. I could pick up the scent of stale turnip. A very big departure from the foods I ate in the comfort of the Empire. But with my stomach growling, I really had no choice. I sucked up my disgust and brought the bowl to my lips. I blow the stew a little and dip my forked tongue into the liquid. By the time my tongue returned into my mouth, the taste hit me. The red lizard was right, it was slop. But what choice did I have? I muster up my body again and tilt the bowl up and I start drinking from it. Each gulp sent an up pleasant surge of disgust to my tongue. But I pressed on. Gulp after gulp after gulp until it was finally over. I exhale and pant. Some of the other nearby passengers chuckled at my little performance.

 

“First time drinking turnip stew eh, scale skin?” a nearby dwarf laughed. “Guess you haven’t had a natural meal outside your precious Empire, huh?”

 

I say nothing and get up. I found Dwarves to be the most absurd bunch of the warm-blooded species. Their unusual accents and their common sarcastic behavior made it feel like they were living a literal comedy their whole life. Especially since almost every single one tended to be associated with mead, beer and anything that involved alcohol.

 

I move up to the left side of the hold where the door to the Magister’s Quarters was. As I approached the doorway, I see a Magister staring at a corner of a support beam. I walk passed the beam and I see what he is looking at. I see a scruffy human man lounging against the beam with his arms folded. His bearded face wore a sly smile with his eyes on the Magister guarding him. His hair and beard were a color of dark gray, indicating he was older than most of the humans here. Based on my studies of humans, I would estimate he was in his later thirty-year range. He looks over at me and he straightens himself. I stop and look down at him. He raises a hand and beckons me to come closer to him. But before I could do that, the Magister looking at him raised his voice.

 

"Watch your back, new fish,” he said. I look back at the Magister. “There's a murderer on board, and I'd bet three months’ pay it's this tramp Ifan."

 

I turn back at the human Sourcerer, Ifan. He rolled his eyes. He gestured his hand again for me to come closer. With some hesitation, I do so. He leaned in, and with a steady hand, he grasped my collar and gave a sharp tug. I expected there to be another surge of pain through my throat. But to my surprise, there’s a relaxation on my slender neck. The collar was balanced and didn’t press on my neck as much. I look back at Ifan. He gave me a wink.

 

"Pinches less that way, right?" he said.

 

“Yes,” I said. “T-thank you.”

 

He smiled and gave a nod to me. Of the all the warm-blooded species, humans were the ones I found to be the most… interesting. They were the most adaptable and influential of the races of Rivillan. Even before Lucian’s rise, humanity’s adaptability and tenacity allowed their species to spread across the major contents and create major kingdoms that could even rival the Empire itself. And that tenacity was what many species, my kin included, were afraid of. Their influence has a cultural hold on Rivillan and most of the leaderships show no signs of quarter toward other species.

 

Up until today, I haven’t had much interaction with humans save a few of the servants in the noble houses my family brought me to visit. I was to get my taste of real human interaction with the envoy trip but then I found myself interacting with humans barring over me. Now this human, I could sense something about him.

 

I look back at the Magister glowering at the both of us.

 

“Why does he suspect it was you?” I ask Ifan.

 

"We used to know each other, more's the pity,” Ifan said. “I was his commander many, many, many moons ago.”

 

He looked back at the Magister.

 

“Isn't that right, Vik?"

 

The Magister pointed a finger from his hand and he drew it across his throat. Looks like Ifan hit a nerve.

 

"Same as he was at fourteen years old,” Ifan said with a grin of pointed white teeth. “Only difference is somebody gave him a bigger sword and now he's Johnny Big-Pants."

 

I grin. But then I stow it away.

 

"So…did you really do it?"

 

"No,” he said. “The dead man- Finn, is it? I'd no business with him. And I wouldn't put a man down without good reason."

 

He looked back at magister Vik.

 

"Damn shame sheer annoyance isn't enough."

 

His voice sounded sincere enough. I could tell this man had killed several people. Like a professional with discipline and restraint. But surprisingly, I didn’t feel as afraid as I was when I spoke to the elf on the other side of the hold.

 

“Have you… heard anything about the place they’re taking us?” I ask him.

 

"The Joy?” Ifan said. “I've heard a lot. Nothing good. No surprise there, since Bishop Alexander runs the show. Wonder if we'll get to meet the ringmaster himself..."

 

The thought gave me a little ting of fear. Meet the man who responsible for having me taken away from my home and family? All I wanted was to leave and get home as soon as possible.  

 

"That's one acquaintance I'm not eager to make."

 

"Not eager to bow before the great Bishop Alexander, son of the Divine himself?” Ifan said. “My sentiments exactly...” he takes a quick glance at Viktor. “But Vik here'll blow a blood vessel if he hears you talking like that."

 

"What are you conspiring about over there?” Vik found himself a little distracted and snapped. “You! Lizard!”

 

I snap my body up and turn straight at the Magister.

 

“What's your name?" he asks me.

 

"Ah, don't mind him,” Ifan calmly said. “Vik's just got a bee in his bonnet. And that bee is me."

 

"NAME!" Vik snapped.

 

The fear in me wins over.

 

"M-Mahalia!"

 

He took out a tiny notebook and scrawled down my name into it. He put it away in a pocket in his red robes and looks back at me.

 

"Away with you. At once!"

 

I look back at Ifan. He winks and puts a finger in front of his lips, pantomiming to keep quiet. I shoot back a grin at him before I leave him to lean back against the wall. I pass angry Magister Vik and walk up to the door leading to the Magister Quarters.

 

I haven’t turned up anything for Waters from the characters I conversed with so far. Perhaps I could talk to others after I was registered.

 

The Magister guarding the door looks over at me when I stop at the door.

 

"Here to register, ma'am?” he asked. I nod.

 

“Good, good. Magister William is just about done with the last passenger. You farin' okay so far?"

 

Considering I was held captive and taken from my people, it could be worse. But it could be so much better. But I decide not to make things harder than they were.

 

"Fine," I mutter.

 

"Glad to hear it. You head on in now. William'll get you sorted fast."

 

He turned and opened the door. I walk inside. But little did I know what would happen next.


	3. Chapter 3

 

I stop when I see three Magisters facing down a single Sourcerer in the middle of the room. This Sourcerer was an old human woman with an appearance of a haggard witch you’d imagine from tales told in forest towns. Two Magisters trained their cross bows at her while the third, who I assumed to be William, spoke to the Sourcerer.

 

"So you admit it then? You murdered that poor fellow?"

 

The Sourcerer replied with a voice that matched her withering appearance.

 

"Yes, I did.”

 

Well, seems the investigation was closed. Looks like I won’t be able to get that coin from Waters after all. The Sourcerer continued.

 

“But, of course, that was only the beginning..."

 

The chill ran down my spine before she even looked over at me.

 

"There are others whose lives must end," the look in her eye told me everything.

 

"Good gods, the woman's mad!" One of the Magisters exclaimed.

 

"You there, Sourcerer!” Magister William said to me. “Go and fetch Magister Siwan! We need to do more than collar this maniac: we need to shackle her, hands and feet!"

 

The pressure came down on me. Everything was happening so fast. The murderer was before me threatening to kill more people. I was told to get the one who put my collar on by the people who took us prisoner. The choices ran through my head. Do I do what the Magisters told me again? Do I take the side of this wretched woman to create a mutiny to save myself? Everything was too much for me to choose. I stumble and all I could say was:

 

"W-what did you mean 'There are others whose lives must end?'"

 

She smiled a most sinister smile.

 

"It means your journey draws to a close. Do stick around for its finale though. Because..."

 

She took her hand, grabbed her collar…  

 

…and popped it right off.

 

"I'm just about to create a scene."

 

She dropped the useless piece of metal to the floor.

 

"Subdue her, men! Quickly!” William exclaimed. He was afraid for sure. “If she casts Source, the Voidwoken will come! They'll end us all!"

 

The Magisters fired their crossbows. But the bolts redirected from the collarless Sourcerer and staked into the wall behind her. She opened her eyes and smiled with wicked satisfaction.

 

"Precisely."

 

The next thing I know, I’m launched off my feet and my body slams into the door. The world fades away.

* * *

 

"What's...”

 

I feel a throbbing in my brain. I opened my eyes and rubbed my hand against my head to regain my bearings a second time.

 

“What's happened?"

 

I twisted my body and brought myself to my feet. My vision returned. I looked back to where the Sourcerer was before she launched me across the room. She was gone. Instead, there were three burned corpses of the Magisters laying on the ground. First time I saw death I nearly puked. Now there were several dead around me. The room was a mess with small fires in the corners of the room. It wouldn’t be long before those would spread and engulf the ship.

 

I look back at the door to the hold. What happened to the other passengers? I grab a hold of the handle and pull. It was jammed. I pull and pull but to no avail.

 

“HELLO!” I shout out. I bang on the door. “IS ANYONE THERE?!”

 

No response. Was I a lone survivor?

 

The answer came when I heard distant clanking of swords and yelling above decks. People were fighting above. But who was fighting who? Without Magisters around me, it was my chance to possibly escape. But I needed a weapon.

 

I see a chest in the back of the room. I walked over and tried to open it. It was locked. I look over and I see a key on the corpse of Magister William. I take it and sure enough it worked. I open the chest. As I suspected, it was the contraband pile. I see several weapons piled in. Among them, I find the one I need. A wand. It wasn’t the finest wand, but it was going to have to do. Then I saw another thing in the chest. I couldn’t believe my luck. It was the wedding band from Brell. I take it and I slip it onto my finger.

 

Before I leave I look over at the linen table and see a fresh ham on the table. The danger was creeping in, but I felt the need to eat at least something that wasn’t bad. I walk over to the table and I take large bite of the ham and turn to run up the stairs while I scarf down the chunk of meat.

 

When I reach the top of the stairs, I feel the ship tremble and throw me off balance. I hear creaking of wood above and below. Something was happening to the ship. What was it? The ship felt like it was bending and was going to snap into splinters at some point.

 

Several dead magisters on were the ground. I see a pile of debris blocking a doorway on the left lane of the hold while the right lead to an empty room, no way out. In the middle was a door with a white human skull painted all over it. I come up to the door and grab a hole of the nob.

 

_Locked! Damn it!_

 

I look over at the nearby Magisters on the ground.

_Perhaps…_

 

I walk to the nearest one. I search his pockets but find nothing. I moved to the next. I found some spare coin in his pocket. I put into my rags but still nothing helpful. I move over to the third one. And sure enough, I found a key. I just prayed it was the one for the door.

 

The ship trembled again. This time more violently and I could hear a distinct sound. Like something was pounding on the hull of the ship. Was it…? Could it be…? It was too much to think about. I needed to keep moving.

 

I go up to the door and use the key. I open the door only to see cargo hold with no way out except the door I was standing in. Suddenly, I see a massive tentacle emerge from one of the windows and it breaks into several of the boxes. The room suddenly turned a haunting shade of green.

 

"Deathfog!” I shout. The sudden realization forced me to run straight back to the door. I jumped out just as the fog reached the door way. I slammed into the ground. Did I catch a whiff of the fog? I try to take several deep breaths. I feel my body hasn’t been affected. But when I looked back at the door, I could see the Deathfog seeping into the room. I picked myself up and I make my way up the left side of the deck.

 

Without any other way to go, I had to find a way through the debris blocking the left side. I scan the pile, looking for an opening. When I don’t find any, I feel around to try to find a loose spot. I find a spot. I take a hold and pull. It takes some strength, but I eventually get off. When I toss the piece of wood, I see a very small opening. Too small for me to crawl through. But the rubble was loose around it. I use my claws and dig. Chunks of the wood peeled off and the hole grew bigger. It’s one of the benefits of being a lizard. Your claws can dig through dirt and debris and our scaly skin makes our hands resistant to splinters. Once the hole was large enough, I dip my head in and start to crawl. My slender body was able maneuver through without much problem. But three-quarters the way through, I felt my waste get caught between a wedge of the wood.

 

“Damn it!” I exclaim.

 

I wiggle my lower body. I pull and thrust myself forward until another rattling of the ship managed to loosen the pile just enough for me to pull out. I was free and plopped out of the pile.

 

“Whew,” I said to myself. I look up to see a set of stairs leading up. I get to my feet and ascend. The stairs lead me to the top of the deck. It was then that I caught the full scale of the chaos that was happening. Magisters we spread everywhere, swinging their swords, firing their arrows and casting their spells at…

 

“VOIDWOKEN!”

 

I had never seen voidwoken in the flesh before, only drawings the observers made when they encountered them all those years ago after Lucian’s sacrifice. Many were described as insectoid beings while others were amphibious monsters. These voidwoken were the smaller ones that took the appearance of grub-like monsters. They slithered over the deck as the Magisters did what they could to fend them off.

 

In the chaos, I ran across the deck as the rain of the storm slathered the deck making it difficult to keep my footing. Fire raged across the deck blocking many of my routes to find a lifeboat. I move up the port side of the deck. Two voidwoken turn and come right at me. I stop and take my stance, wand at the ready.

 

My heart was racing. I had never taken a life, nor have I had to use my magic in defense. But I needed to overcome if I was going to survive. I take a slow sigh in the chaos and I recall the spells I’ve practiced. Without source, I couldn’t amplify my spells to put more power into them. I would have to make do with what I had. I recall the spell and channeled it through my arm into the wand. I pull my arm back, then I swing it forward in the voidwoken’s direction. Lightning shoots out of the wand and connects to the nearest voidwoken causing it to stop and lurch. I chose the right spell. With the rain making them wet, the voidwoken were susceptible to being stunned from the lightning. The lightning surged from the first voidwoken, seeped onto the soaked deck and jumped to the second one and did the same to it.

 

_Okay. Now follow it up._

 

I recall the next spell. I concentrate and lift my arms above. Then I bring them both down. The air above condensed and three shards of ice fell and landed on top of the voidwoken. They both shattered into a hundred pieces. My first kills and they were monsters. I shouldn’t have been unsettled, but I did feel something remorseful taking a life. But the heat of the moment kept me from lamenting. I came out of my stance and continued across the deck.

 

I make it to the stern side to see no life boats. But what was there was the sight of the thing that was pounding on the ship. Massive tentacles emerge and grasped the ship. Was it…? It had to be the monster from my dream.

 

"It won't budget!” the Magister manning the wheel shouted. “This monster, it..."

 

He couldn’t say ‘jammed the rudders’ because another tentacle slammed on top of him turning him into red paste. The tentacle also slammed into barrels of oil causing the spilled contents to ignite from the sparse sets of fire across the deck. The explosion spread causing me to run the other way to the starboard side. I slipped and slid across the deck a short way. I bring my head up and look.

 

_A lifeboat!_

I dig my claws into the wood and prop myself up. I see a dwarf and three other passengers who were in the boat trying to lower.

 

“Wait!” I shout. Thankfully it did. I saw the other passengers were the three children I encountered in the hold.

 

“Get in!” the Dwarf shouted over the rain. “We’re casting off now!”

 

“Wait, wait!” one of the children shouted. "You said there were other people down there! We... we need to help them!"

 

"You see those tentacles, kid? It's time for gettin' the hell out of here."

 

“Please! We can’t leave them!”

 

The ship didn’t have long. But my conscious kept me from wanting to leave no matter how badly I wanted to go home. I had to go back and save whoever was still alive.

 

"I'll go back and get them!” I shouted.

 

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" the child shouted in quick succession.

 

“Is there a way back into the hold?”

 

"There's a ladder right over there. You can go straight down!"

 

I look over and see the ladder.

 

“Okay, I’ll be back!”

 

"You're going to be the death of us. You hear?" the Dwarf said.

 

I suck in a cold breath of air, dig my talons into the wood, and break for the hatch. Once there, I grabbed the handle and pull as hard as my body allowed. The hatch opens and immediately I put my talons down onto the ladder and descend.

 

When I reach the bottom, I turn, and I see the familiar hallway I passed through when I woke up. The magisters guarding the door to the room where Waters was were gone. I ran back into the hold to see that there were several Sourcerers who were still alive amongst several magisters who were dead. Thank the gods at least some survived.

 

“Everyone!” I shout. "If you can walk, get yourself up the ladder! There's a b..."

 

Before I could finish, the deck shook and several parts of the floor and ceiling broke.

 

"Wait!” I shouted. “Voidwoken!"

 

The monsters lurched up and down on to the deck, causing the surviving Sourcerers to ready themselves and grab whatever weapons there were off the dead Magisters. I draw my wand and look to see which voidwoken was closest. There was one to my right that slithered toward me. I take my stance and recall the spell. But I stop before I channel the spell when I saw the elf I spoke to earlier leap up behind the voidwoken. She landed on it with two daggers in her hands. With elegant motions and swift movement, she thrust the daggers in and out of the monster’s body, countering any movement the voidwoken tried to make against her until she rolled off leaving it to fall to the ground dead.

 

"Huh,” she said readying for the next to come her way. “Let the games begin..."

 

I turn around and see other Sourcerers fighting off the voidwoken. I move up and spot one moving in on the red lizard from behind.

 

“Behind you!” I shout and hastily swing the wand in my hand toward the voidwoken. The small fire ball that launched from the wand landed right on target. I got its attention just enough to allow the lizard to swing the sword he got off a dead Magister around and slice the voidwoken in two.

 

“Thanks!” he said.

 

I scan the room again to see the nearest voidwoken. None were focused on me. But instead I saw that Ifan was still alive and was facing down a voidwoken ready to pounce. I ready myself to strike the voidwoken but it already made its move. It lurched forward and Ifan made his move too. He side-stepped, took the dagger in his hand and brought it down onto the creature. But it recovered quickly and lurched itself into Ifan. They both slammed into a stack of barrels. The restraints broke, and the barrels came down and buried both of them.

 

“Ifan!” I shouted and ran toward him. The other voidwoken were dealt with by the others and they ran for the ladder.

 

“Ugh…” Ifan moaned under the pile of barrels. It seemed the voidwoken took the brunt of the barrels as it wasn’t moving.

 

“Are you okay?” I asked him.

 

“Ugh… I’ll live,” He said. “I’m stuck.”

 

“I’m on it,” I say.

 

I dig through the debris, alleviating the weight on Ifan’s body. He groaned as he crawled trying to pull himself out. After a few more seconds of digging, he crawled out and collapsed onto the floor. I kneel to his side. I grab him and pull him to his feet.

 

“Can you walk?”

 

“Yeah,” Ifan said. He shook his head and stretched his body for a quick moment. “Thanks.”

 

He took his footing and began to move forward. He and I ran across the deck as cracks began to spread down the hull. We made it to the hall. We were about to turn and go up the ladder but then I heard a gargling sound from the back of the hall. I pull my head back and look to see Magister Siwan on the ground. I saw her throat was cut and she weakly flailed her arms on the ground. She was barely clinging on to life.

 

Should I try to save her too? She was a Magister and she was responsible for the collar on my neck. But no one deserved to die like that.

 

But the snapping of the walls pulls me out of the moment. I turn, and I run to the ladder. I saw Ifan was half way up the ladder by the time I started to climb.

 

“Come on!” Ifan said at the top waiting for me. When I emerge to the storm covered deck, he started to run, and I followed behind him. We were halfway to the boat when another rattle caused the both of us to stumble and loose our balance. By the time we regained our balance, I looked up and I saw another tentacle coming straight down toward us.

 

“Watch out!” I shouted. I shoved Ifan out of the way and leapt backward onto my back just as the tentacle slammed onto the deck. I watched as the tentacle took hold of the deck and started to pull. The ship was about to be split in two. On the other side of the tentacle, I see Ifan looking over at me. I couldn’t get across to him.

 

“GO!” I shouted. “GET TO THE BOAT!”

 

He reluctantly turned and ran for the lifeboat. I try to get up, but the deck was too slippery. I look up again. I saw the lifeboat release and fall. In that moment, there was a pause in time. A moment passes. Then…

 

The ship snapped in half and the deck was pulled from under my feet, leaving me to scream as I fell to the sea below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got the prologue finished. Now on to the meat of the story, which will be a real challenge. Thank you for reading and giving me feedback helps me greatly.


	4. Chapter 4

_I have plans for you, child._

* * *

 

My eyes shot open and my body contorted. I coughed the sea water out of my lungs desperate to replace it with much needed air. I feel my body hunched over on wet sand. My vision begins to clear. I was on a beach. The sun was shining on the golden sand. I was alive?

 

I crawl up the beach and collapse onto a rock. The coughing suddenly turned to sobbing. All the terror and chaos of the night before grabbed me, like the lingering emotions of a nightmare. But it wasn’t a nightmare. It was real. It happened. I was about to die. The Voidwoken trying to kill me, the collapsing debris of the ship, and the waves of the storm dragging me down into the depths of the sea. The thoughts of never seeing my family or Brell again. I couldn’t hold it back anymore. I curl my body into a ball and let the tears flow out of my eyes.

 

Several minutes pass before I could collect myself. I relax my muscles and lay out my body. I feel the sun barring down on my scales. I breath in the scent of the sea and let the rays of the sun warm the cold blood in my veins. The stress and unease faded away and my mind relaxed. A few more moments pass, and my mind was clear enough to process what I needed to do. I lift my body up and bring myself to my feet. I observe my surroundings. Along the beach there was a tall rock wall and pockets of dense foliage restricting my options of movement inland. The only way leading anywhere else was down the beach.

 

_Okay. Move forward. Find out where you are._

 

I move my talon forward, and my body followed. I proceeded down the beach, turning the corner of a rock formation to a longer stretch of the beach. As I moved down the stretch of sand, I saw pillars and walls of ruins littering the beach side. There was a presence here. As if the spirt of the structures long gone was lingering still. I didn’t need to have the senses of a mystic to feel this uneasy presence. I eventually made it to an incline of rock. I move up the not-so steep formation to the top. I see in the distance a fort planted in the side of the coast. I didn’t need to see the Divine Order flag waving from the spires to know where I was.

 

“Fort Joy,” I mutter to myself. Out of the frying pan, and into another. At least I think that’s how the human saying goes. So much for escaping the ship and surviving almost by miracle.

 

But my hopes weren’t completely erased when I spot something a stroll down the beach a good distance from the fort. I make my way down the rock toward it. It was the lifeboat Ifan and the other surviving Sourcerers escaped from the ship on. That meant they must be alive and here too.

 

Considering that I was far from home, and trapped on a prison island, it probably would be a good idea to find some friends to watch each other’s backs.

 

_Okay. Find some friends. Find a way out. Simple, right?_

 

And it seemed my plan was already in motion when I spotted someone standing on a nearby peninsular rock stretching out to the sea.

 

Was it one of the survivors? Could it be one of the possible friends I needed? I move down the beach and approach the rock. The outline of the person became clearer. It was a lizard. He was looking out toward the horizon with a steady, malcontent stare. It was a scene that could be captured in a painting that could speak a thousand words. But the awe of this scene and the excitement of finding a friend drained from me when I noticed that his scales were the color of blood-red.

 

_Great._

 

“Well at least I know at least one person survived the attack on the boat thanks to my idiotic bravery,” I say behind his back not even hoping that my sarcasm would get through to him.

 

He turns his head to notice me, then he turns about with the graceful ease of a dancer…or a dualist considering that he most likely was from the House of War. His eyes were two smoldering embers that sizzled and somehow peered into me. A very different display than the one I saw in the hold of the prison ship.

 

"I did survive, yes,” he said, glancing down at his claws. “And chances are I wouldn't have, had you not returned to aid of your fellow passengers down in that dreadful hold. You have my gratitude."

 

He put his hand over his heart and saluted me with a bob of the head which was more of a nod than a bow.

 

"One good turn does deserve another, so as far as the whole slave business is concerned, let's just forget about it. You may as well have your freedom!”

 

I was ready to throw another sarcastic insult at him, but he surprised me so much I held back. Last night he had the nerve to take ahold of me and claim me to be his new slave but here he was saying he no longer considered me one. I didn’t consider a person like him to do that.

 

“W-well…” I say. I shifted my stance left and right projecting my surprise in clear daylight. “T-thank you.”

 

“You’re quite welcome,” the Red Lizard said. “Now might I ask how you’ve managed to arrive here alive? The last I recall, you were still on the deck of the ship telling that human to run before that foul monster destroyed the ship.”

 

“I-I… honestly have no idea,” I tell him. I dig into the reaches of my mind to remember whatever I could amongst the terror and panic of being thrown around by the waves of the storm. “The… the last thing I remember was me sinking into the sea. Then… I heard a voice telling me something. I saw a light then… then the next thing I know, I’m on this beach coughing up sea water.”

 

The Red Lizard pondered what I said. I wasn’t sure if he thought my story wasn’t believable or not, but he responded.

 

“Considering how severe that storm was, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Zorl-Stissa herself who spared your life.”

 

Considering how amazed I was to find myself alive on this beach, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Goddess of the Lizards herself did save me.

 

“Maybe,” I say. I move on to the next subject. “Are the others who were on the lifeboat here too?”

 

“Yes,” the lizard said. “They’re all alive thanks to your bravery. They’ve all gone their separate ways. Most went up to the fort while… others decided to preserve the feeling of serenity of the open world.”

 

He turns and looks out to the horizon again, as if he was looking at something that he felt was within reach. I hear him sigh.

 

"Tell me,” he said. “What do you see when you cast your glace over this ocean."

 

I look at the horizon with him. The waves lap against my thoughts from several tranquil moments.

 

“I see… memories. Memories of my childhood. With my parents and playing in the warm sun.”

 

"Memories,” he repeated absently. “Quite so."

 

He observes the horizon for another moment be for turning back to me. I peal my gaze from the sea and bring it to his.

 

"As for myself, when I consider this vast expanse before us, I see an empire.”

 

“I know what you mean,” I say. “I miss the scent of home as much as you do.”

 

“It’s more than that,” he said. “I miss the continents dotted with mighty cities. I miss the shimmering along the soft curve of the sea's horizon. But what I miss the most… the palaces that formed my paradise... lost."

 

I tilt my head.

 

“‘Your’ paradise? Lost? What do you mean?”

 

He responded as if offended. "What do you mean, 'what do I mean'? I mean just what I say: I had a very actual Empire that I lost."

 

There was a silence between us as he stared at me with utter incredulity.

 

"Well don't just stand there gawking like an ape at an abacus! Or do you really mean to tell me you don't know who I am?"

 

I put my scholarly brain into motion to figure out what he was talking about. If he was talking about the Empire and he was talking about it as it was ‘his’, then that would mean…

 

"No...” I say with my eyes wide open in awe. The pieces were together, and they showed that he was…

 

“You...you can't be the notorious Red Prince!"

 

The Lizard grinned an almost devilish grin.

 

"The very same! I am the Red Prince! The All-Conqueror, The World-Tamer. The Spouse of the Sun. Of course you know me!"

 

I did indeed know him. The Red Prince was a figure of grandiose coming from the House of War. Stories told of how he, as a general, directed the Empire’s armies and won wars without even leaving the comfort of his own palace. But for some reason, he was cast out and disgraced for something only those behind the walls of the Forbidden City knew about.

 

There was a brief pause between us. The grandiloquent pose he took deflated.

 

“Well I guess I was right in my assumption that you were from the House of War when we were aboard the ship,” I say.

 

The Red Prince snorted. I didn’t know if it was from amusement or sarcasm.  

 

“Well… thanks for telling me who you are. But I must be off,” I turn to walk away.

 

“Wait!” the Red Prince said. I stopped and turned back. “Where are you going?”

 

“To… find the human and the elf who were on the lifeboat. I need their help to find a way out of here.”

 

“Those two lower creatures? And not one of your own kin?”

 

“I…I didn’t know you wanted to travel with me. I assumed that since you didn’t consider me a slave anymore that you wanted nothing to do with me.”

 

“Just because I let you free does not mean I am not in need of soldiers on the battlefield. A battle cannot be won without soldiers working in unison to fight it. I am in need of some able bodies if I am able to leave this place to reclaim my throne.”

 

I felt torn. This lizard was of royalty of our people. But at the same time, I didn’t feel he would be helpful with his attitude. But in the end, I was only one young wizard who had no prior combat experience and would surely parish in a fight on my own if I came across any other foe, be it Magister, Voidwoken or any other danger these far away lands held in store for me.

 

“Okay,” I say. “We can use each other’s’ help in escaping this place. Once we’ve escaped, we’ll both head home to the Empire.”

 

“Jolly good,” He nodded and gave a smile that was on the line of courtesy and contempt. “Before we depart there are certain things I must take care of here.”

 

“What do you need?”

 

“I’ve reason to believe a Dreamer is on this island. The first step in regaining my throne is finding this mystic for reasons I will not disclose right now. Unless by chance you are a Dreamer yourself.”

 

I shake my head. “I’m afraid I come from the House of Law.”

 

“Then you must help me find this Dreamer.”

 

“Sounds simple enough.”

 

“Alright then. Second thing you need to know. As you're aware you'll be travelling with a prince. Proper forms of address include 'Your Majesty', 'Your Royal Highness', or if you're feeling particularly frivolous, 'Milord'. And as luck would have it, I seem to be fresh out of luggage, so you won't be required to carry my belongings. Of course, there are other forms of protocol to bear in mind, but I'll see to it you'll pick up the rest as we go.”

 

I tilt my head. “Of course… ‘milord.’”

 

“Excellent!” The Red Prince said “So, without further ado: let us be off!"

 

“My name’s Mahilia by the way,” I say.

 

“I’ll do my best to remember that,” the Red Prince said. But I could sense he probably wasn’t going to commit it.

 

I turn away and I hear the Red Prince walk down from the rock and step behind me. I didn’t know if I made a good choice traveling with this man. He could be more of a burden than a benefit. But I couldn’t do anything about it now. I needed to find the others and then figure out what we could about this island and if there was a way out of here.

 

We proceeded together down the beach. He walked by my side, slightly ahead of me. I wasn’t much of a leader, so I guess it made sense that the heir to the throne would be the one to lead this band of convicts. But the fact he was famous for winning battles that he did not attend to had me worried. He directed the legions of our best kin into the bloodshed of battle while the lower officers made the decisions to direct the soldiers to fight the enemy forces at the ground level. That disconnection could be costly since we were only two individuals who weren’t equipped, and in my cased trained, to fight against enemies that outnumbered us. Perhaps I should talk to him about how he planned to fight if we got into that situation, though I hoped we would not have to after what happened on the ship. Before I could speak to the Red Prince, I hear a voice shout out.

 

“Lizard Lady!”

 

I look up to find three human children running toward me. And to my surprise, they were the three children from the ship. I gasp with exactment and a surge of joy flows though my body. I kneel and hold out my arms awaiting them. All three of them, including the one who seemed afraid of Lizards, clumped together and we all gave each other a large hug. The Red Prince just rolled his eyes and looked aside.

 

“By the gods, I’m so happy to see you’re all okay,” I say to the children.

 

“We’re happy too,” the girl of the group said. “When we saw the ship break apart, we thought for sure you were dead.”

 

“How’d you survive?” another child asked.

 

“I honestly don’t know,” I think back to that moment in the water. “Perhaps it was an actual miracle from the Gods.”

 

“You really think so?”

 

I nod.

 

“Well I’m happy that they saved your life,” the girl said. “You deserved to since you went to help those people in the hold.”

 

“Couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try,” I smile, and the children smile back. “Might I ask your names? That way we can keep better track of each other.”

 

“I’m Trice,” the girl of the group said.

 

“My name is Paulie,” the red head boy who wasn’t afraid of lizards said.

 

“Sandy,” the blond boy who was hesitant to speak to me on the ship said.

 

“My name is Mahilia.”

 

“That’s a lovely name,” Trice said.

 

“Thank you,” I say warmly.

 

“Might I inquire we move on?” The Red Prince said, obviously impatient. “There are more important matters to attend to than conversing with these annoying brats.”

 

“Hey!” Sandy said. “That’s not nice!”

 

“Oh, do shut your mouth,” he said. “You shouldn’t talk back to greater species let alone royalty.”

 

“I don’t like that red lizard,” Trice said to me. “He’s rude.”

 

I glance at the Red Prince then back at Trice, “That he is. But he’s going to help us escape this place.”

 

“We’re escaping?” Paulie turned his head toward me. “You mean you’re bringing us with you?”

 

“What?” the Red Prince looked over at me. “You can’t possibly believe we can look after these brats. They’ll only slow us down.”

 

I want to respond swiftly to him be I stop myself when I think about the bigger picture for the moment. The ship was a different story since it was just a trip down the ladder. But here, there were so many unknown variables that could lead to disastrous results.

 

“Well… they can be helpful,” I say to the Red Prince.

 

“How?” he gives me a stern look.

 

But before I could answer, Sandy spoke up. “We could act as scouts.”

 

“Yeah,” Paulie said. “We can squeeze into areas you couldn’t and find things that can be useful.”

 

“In fact, we found something that can help you out right now.”

 

Trice reached behind her and pulled out, wouldn’t you know it, a new wand. Having lost the one I had when I fell into the sea, this was an invaluable replacement.

 

“Thank you very much,” I say as she hands me it.

 

“You’re welcome,” Trice said. “Just be careful not to have it out inside the Fort. The Magisters take away weapons they see Sourcerers carry.”

 

I hear the Red Prince sigh. I look up at him.

 

“Perhaps they can assist in small matters,” the Red Prince said. “But if the situation requires we drop everything and run, I will not hesitate to leave these creatures behind.”

 

“Fine,” I say.

 

“You won’t leave us behind, will you?” Sandy said.

 

I felt torn once again. In the shortest amount of time, I had befriended three children, who were without their parents and were of a completely different species. Now I felt I was their caretaker somehow. I guess it could make sense since I was of the age that I could reproduce and have my own brood with a suitable partner. But we were still trapped on this island, without a way to escape.

 

“No,” I say. “I…I won’t leave any of you behind. We’re all going to escape. Together.”

 

“Thank you Mahilia,” Paulie said. “We won’t let you down either.”

 

“I appreciate that,” I say. “Now let us be off.”

 

“Finally,” the Red Prince said rolling his eyes. I stand up and the three children follow suit in following the Prince toward the entrance to the fort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started my second Playthrough of Divinity Original Sin 2 and I decided to give my Original Female Lizard Wizard a full story of her choices and build her back story to explore how the Journey and the characters she travels with affected her. Tell me if I should be more in line with the material of the story presented or if I should go off tangent more. Either way thank you for reading.


	5. Chapter 5

The Red Prince took the lead with me and the children close behind. He stopped at the top step and we did the same. Instead of two guards flanking the entrance gate like I’d have expected, there was a gathering of half-a-dozen Magisters in addition to the two guards flanking the gate. They formed a semicircle. At the center was a single lizard magister. From my studies, the Divine Order was accepting of all races in the beginning. But as time went on under Alexander’s rule, it became more human-centric, hence why the magisters on the ship were all human. There were still some non-human magisters, but they were few and far between.

 

"We know you've been helping Sourcerers escape, Atusa. We have proof," The person standing at the center of the magister line spoke. When I looked at him, the air in my body froze. It was Bishop Alexander himself.

 

His skin was the color of white. He wore the grand robes of the Bishop that was red laced with white, the color of Magisters. He held a grand staff in his hand and atop his head was a crown that signified his place as the head of the Divine Order.

 

Having heard about his deeds, it surprised me being in his presence. I was fearful to meet his acquaintance as I told Ifan on the boat. From the colors of his robes, the staff he held and the crown he bore, he should have had the appearance of majesty like his father Lucian. But seeing Alexander’s young face and hearing his voice of a human not older than 24 gave me pause. Instead of intimidation, I could feel that this young human was putting on a persona.

 

When you’re a diplomate, you needed to present yourself and your words in a very formal manor and set aside your true emotions. Not to the point of becoming a dull and lifeless automaton machine, but enough to stow away emotions that could be exploited like fear and anger. Here, I could see though Alexander’s eyes he was concealing something through his words. Was it fear? Was it ego? Whatever it was, I could see it was affecting his presentation.

 

To top off his presence, he wore a Source Collar of his own. Considering he made the order to shackle the Sourcerers to stem their use of Source, at least he wasn’t hypocritical in his belief in cutting off source to keep the Voidwoken away.

 

"I'd sooner cut my tongue out than lie to you, Alexander,” the accused lizard magister pleaded. “I know nothing of any escapees."

 

A female human magister stepped forward. By the looks of her outfit and the composer she set, she was one of the higher-ranking Magisters. On her back was a large Hammer. Her white hair and wrinkles in her face told me she was in her late 50-year range, no older than the old Sourcerer who caused the chaos on the ship. But her age didn’t make her any less intimating. Her eyes pierced into Atusa, causing her to freeze as if making it easier for her body to be shattered if the magister swung that hammer.

 

"If you can tell the Godwoken no more, your tongue is of no use,” her words hit Atusa and even me as hard as the hammer on the Magister’s back would have. “Cut it out!"

 

The lizard Atusa took a step back, dipping her head. The Magister’s words had certainly broke something inside her as she replied.

 

"T-this can't be serious. Alexander! Come!" the fear in her was pouring out in droves.

 

"You should know by now to obey your superior, magister - whatever she may ask," Alexander replied. There was no sympathy or help coming for this unfortunate Magister. Atusa had no choice. Her hesitation slowed her hands as she reached down to her belt. She grasped a dagger and pulled it from its sheath. With her free hand, she pinched the tip of her forked tongue and pulled it clear of her mouth. She brought the dagger to the root of her tongue. I could see small drips of blood run down the edge of the dagger and drop to the ground.

 

 “Look away. Look away, now!” I wrap my arms around the children and clumped them together, making sure all three of them had their faces averted. Atusa groaned from the cut in her tongue. She prepared to go through with it with several nervous breathes. But just as she inhaled deeply and motioned to prepare a quick and only slightly less painful mutilation, Alexander interrupted.

 

"Stop,” He shouted. Atusa did as he told her. She retracted her niched tongue a brought her dagger-held hand to her side.

 

“My father, may his soul rest in peace, would be disappointed in you, Atusa. To think you would lie to his only son - your bishop and your friend these many years. The fate of our realm hangs in the balance. If you will not help us save it, then you will help the Void destroy it.”

 

He sighed and looked to the ground to his right. Disappointment was all he had. He looked back up at the Hammer-welding Magister.

 

“Dallis,” Alexander said.

 

“Yes, your Holiness?" Dallis replied.

 

"I believe we are done here," He turned away and proceeded back through the gates of the fort with a pair of Magister escorts flanking him. As he did, Dallis grasped the Hammer holstered on her back and brought it to bare. Atusa’s eyes no longer held back any of the fear inside of her. She dropped her dagger and stumbled to the ground.  

 

“No, no, please! PLEASE!” Atusa screamed. She cowered and raised her arms in a feeble attempt to defend herself. Dallis’s hammer glowed green and she took her stance.

 

“Close your eyes now!” I averted the children’s gaze again as well as my own. All that was left was our ears to hear the horrified scream of Atusa that was cut off with a mighty swing of the Hammer. What followed was the slimy sloshing of a mangled body that flopped onto the ground.

 

"What a waste,” I heard the voice of Dallis say. “Come. We'll be needed elsewhere."

 

I peak out of my eye to see Dallis holster her surprisingly clean hammer onto her back. She retreated through the gates with her own escort of Magisters following her. Moments later, it was only me, the Red Prince, the three human children and a mangled corpse of a Lizard Magister in front of the gates of Fort Joy.

 

I look back at the children and I could see the uneasiness in their eyes.

 

“I’m so sorry you have to endure this,” I say to them. “No child, regardless of species, should see anything like this.”

 

“It’s not your fault,” Trice said. Her fear seemed to have evaporated or she managed to stow it away just for me.

 

“As long as you’re here with us…” Sandy stepped in. “…we’ll be brave for you.”

 

“Yeah, no matter what!” Paulie chimed in last.

 

The children’s enthusiasm was genuine. If they were going to be strong for me, I had to be strong for them. I take a deep breath.

 

“Alright,” I say. “I’ll be strong for you too.”

 

The children nod and I nod back. I stand up and look at the Red Prince. As expected, he rolled his eyes and strode forward making us follow behind him. I looked over at the bloody remains of Atusa. Some part of me felt awful seeing one of my own kin slaughtered like that.

 

“I wouldn’t feel too bad,” the Red Prince said.

 

“She was one of our kin,” I say back.

 

“She had forsaken the Empire for the Order. Her punishment was fair,” he said.

 

He did have a point. But it still didn’t make me feel any better seeing my kin dying right in front of me. So much death in such a short span of time. But through the bloodshed, one detail stood out to me. She was accused of helping Sourcerers escape. If it were true, perhaps…

 

We stepped through the gate to find ourselves in the courtyard of the fort. The walls were the color of white with wooden scaffoldings making paths to the decayed upper walls. All around there were Sourcerers of all species. Humans, dwarfs, elves and lizards all baring source collars of their own. All around there were magisters patrolling with several guard dogs accompanying them. But there also were several tents and huts spread out alongside the walls, with sourcerers either resting in them or setting up their own makeshift shops for trade and crafting.

 

And in the center of the courtyard up a small flight of stairs stood a brass statue. I looked closely at the face and recognized it was of Lucian himself. The chiseled face of the old but blessed man looked up at the heavens with a beard and hair that complimented the wisdom within him.

He held up his staff, the same one Alexander held moments ago, and bore a crown on his head and the wings on his back lifted him to make it seem he was hovering ever so slightly over the pedestal the statue was planted on. And in front of it was a very generous assortment of food and vases and a painting of Lucian himself completing the shrine of it. Whether it was made by zealot magisters or compliant sourcerers, I don’t know.

 

Returning my attention to the fort, it was more open than I was expecting. Having prisoners out and about within walls that were crumbling and full of holes didn’t feel ideal for a prison. But taking a glance at the main fort laying behind another gate guarded by nearly a dozen Magisters gave me the idea that the cells inside the main fort were full and the prisoners here were the overflow. Adding to the fact was that the fort was on an island with the nearest land several miles across stormy seas which acted as natural bars to the prison cell all of us were in. And from the from the tents and shops set up, it looked like the inmates were the ones to take care of themselves rather than the Magisters. Guess that gives the Magisters one less thing to keep track of while they focus on whatever is happening within the main fort itself.

 

“Splendid,” the Red Prince said. “Now that we’re here, we can-”

 

Before he could finish with “find the dreamer,” a shout erupted to our left.

 

“Oie! You know what we’re here for,” a male human walked up to a short haired female elf, not the one from the ship. Standing behind him was his crony having his back. The thug’s face grinned with a threatening sneer. “Why don’t ya make it easy for everyone?”

 

The elf turned her head over to me since I was the only one within earshot.

 

"You!” The elf said to me. “Help me teach this beast! He must respect! If not, he comes for you next."

 

"Respect? Ha!” the thug chuckled. “Someone's got to keep this place runnin'. Griff can't do it for free. Why d'you gotta’ make this so hard?"

 

“You have to help her, please!” Trice said to me. I look at her then I see the Red Prince cross his arms in the corner of my eyes.

 

“Are you really going to stop and meddle in every affair we come across?” The Red Prince said. “May I remind you we had a deal to help me find what I’m looking f-.”

 

I turn my attention away from the Prince’s complaints when I saw an intense looking man walk up and stand between the elf and the thug. He then rolled up his sleeves, showing off his well-muscled and heavily-scarred arms. The beard on his face made me recognize him immediately.

 

"Just stand aside, why don'tcha, mate,” the thug said. “This is no business of yours."

 

"Lone Wolves decide their own business," Ifan fired back closing his fists. The thug froze before he shuffled back to the protection of his crony. A quick glance at each other and they whipped the fear from their faces and took a step forward.

 

“Pay up, elf,” the thug said. “No-one shorts Griff, 'specially not one of you.”

 

It was then that I saw both goons hid a dagger within their both their sleeves. It was going to be now or never. I sucked up the courage and put on a persona.

 

_Okay. These two aren’t civil so put on a display of power._

 

I step beside Ifan, who looks up at me with a brief glance of surprise before returning he stern look at the thugs, and I narrow my eyes at the two.

 

“Please don’t make things worse,” I say in a stern voice. I discreetly pull out my wand from my rag and display it so only the two trouble makers would see it. “I’m really… really not in the mood to make a mess right now.”

 

I must have done something right as I saw the two of them look at each other then back at us, sizing up the threat.

 

“Ahh get out of here, the both of ye,” the thug said trying to salvage his pride from the defeat. “Y'ain't worth the swear of my brow anyhow...”

 

He looked over at his crony and motioned him to follow him away. I stow the wand away looking to see if any of the patrolling magisters caught sight of it. Thankfully not. Ifan rolled down his sleeves and looked up at me, a grin amidst his beard complimenting the look of appreciation in his eyes.

 

“Good work there, good work. I can tell you've got chops.”

 

“Well…I try,” I say putting away my persona. “Anyway, I’m happy to see you’re okay, Ifan.”

 

“As am I for you,” Ifan said. “You saved my life twice aboard the ship. I’d shudder to think how I’d be able to pay you back if you hadn’t survived.”

 

“Oh…well I-”

 

The children cheered and ran up to us.

 

“Wow, you two really showed them!” Sandy shouted with excitement. Ifan grinned and kneeled down to their level as I did.

 

“She sure did,” Ifan said then looked over at me. “All I did was give her some encouragement.”

 

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

“Don’t sell yourself short.”

 

“Thank you.” The elf said behind us. When the both of us look at her, she bowed. “Follow me, before any more them show up. There’s a safe place.”

 

Looking at the children, I responded.

 

“We’d be happy to join you,” I reply.

 

“Excuse me!” the Red Prince strode up and we all turned our heads toward him. “Are you purposefully trying to hinder my task at hand?”

 

I respond quickly.

 

“We just need to have a place for the children to be safe,” I say. “And, you have my word there won’t be any more delays.”

 

The Red Prince looked at each of us, irritation burning in his ember eyes. He closes them and signs.

 

“Fine,” he muttered. “So much for them being useful scouts like you said they’d be. We’ll find a place to keep these brats from hindering our task.”

 

“Thank you… ‘milord’,” I say. I shoot Ifan a quick grin to tell him the last part I said was to keep his ego at bay. He shoots a grin back at me before we both turn to the elf.

 

“Lead the way,” I nod.

 

The elf bowed again and lead the way. All five of us followed. We walked across the courtyard, passed the main gate guarded by the magisters. As we did, Ifan walked beside me.

 

“I must say you’ve put on quite a show of determination back there with those thugs,” he said. “Much different than what I saw of you when we first spoke.”

 

“It’s what I’ve learned living in the Ancient Empire,” I said. “I’m expected put on a persona to persuade those I’m talking to. I really don’t like to fight.”

 

“Convincing folks not to fight is useful,” Ifan said. “But considering you’ve managed to fend off Voidwoken long enough to save me and the passengers of the ship, I’d say you’ve got a knack to fight the battles when words fail.”

 

“I haven’t had to defend myself all my life until last night,” I said. “Which is why I was hoping to find you and some others to help in escaping this place. I really can’t do it alone.”

 

“Well then, you’re in luck, lass,” Ifan said. “This wolf needs a pack if he’s to survive. How’s I join you and your little entourage. It’ll be one of the ways to pay you back for saving my life.”

 

“That would be excellent,” I said.

 

“Alright then,” Ifan said with a grin. “Once we’ve come up with a plan, I’ll have your back.”

 

We both look up to the elf leading us again. The walls of the fort lead to a sprawling opening of sand that lead to the sea. In the distance down the shore, I saw several figures standing amidst wreckages of ships littering the beachhead. Most likely more sourcerers stretching their legs from the congestion of the fort courtyard.

 

“Here,” the elf motioned her hand toward a formation of rocks. Right at the base of it was the entrance to a cave. “It’ll give you shelter from the sun and the attention of the magisters for a while.”

 

The Elf crouched down and passed though the hole. I motioned the children forward. They walk single file and follow the elf through the hole. Ifan followed then the Red Prince leaving me to be the last to enter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a little longer than expected. College has been going on and I've found it tricky to choose a path in escaping Fort Joy to make it sound believable from a non-gamey point of view. But regardless I've got this up and Chapter 6 won't be far behind now.


	6. Chapter 6

The inside of the cave was vast and cool. The open chamber was inclined down to a small camp set up in the middle. All around were several sourcerers, most of them were elves but there was a lone lizard standing near the entrance.

 

“Ah…” the lizard bowed and looked directly at the Red Prince. “Sir Kalias at your service, Red Prince. I hadn’t expected you of all people to end up here.”

 

“The Divine Order will pay for their crimes against the Empire,” the Red Prince replied. “Once I have accomplished my task here, I will return to the Empire and set things right. Though I don’t suppose you can aid in our endeavors?”

 

Kalias looked back at a corner of the cave where several boxes and barrels were stowed.

 

“I can provide some suitable armor,” Kalias said. “It’s not the tier of master craftsmen, but it is discreate enough for the magisters to not notice and far better than the rags you wear. I have some for you and your companions.”

 

He looked over at Ifan and me. “Of course. An army is only half as effective without at least some protection. May we see?”

 

Kalias turned around and beckoned us to follow. The Red Prince did so. Ifan looked over at me. I, in response, looked back at the children and the elf.

 

“I’ll be there in a moment,” I tell Ifan. He nodded understandingly. As he followed the Red Prince to the stash, I followed the elf down to the open center of the cave with the children.

 

“Will the children be safe here?” I ask the elf.

 

“It’s the safest of anywhere we know of,” the elf said. “As long as they stay in this room, they won’t encounter any trouble.”

 

“Alright,” I kneel to the children. “I want you to stay here until we figure something out. We’ll come for you once we have a plan to escape.”

 

“Okay,” Trice said. The other two nod. I could see in their eyes they believed me. I just hoped I was able to follow through with my promise I made. I stand up and return my gaze to the elf.

 

“If you are looking for a way out of here,” the elf said, “You should speak to Saheila.”

 

“Is Saheila your leader?” I ask. The elf nodded.

 

“She is young, but she sees. She knows more than we know,” she reached out with her hand to guide my gaze to the campfire. There, laying on a wooden bench, was another elf. She seemed to be resting.

 

“Thank you,” I say to the elf. “For looking after the children while I search for a way out of here.”

 

“It’s the least I could do,” the elf bows again. With that, she gestured the children to follow her. They did so and they walked over to another corner of the cave where several crates lay. The elf reached in and pulled out a doll. Trice gasped and reached out to take it. The elf then pulled out two wooden toy swords for Paulie and Sandy. They took them and wasted no time taking their stances and playfully swung at one another.

 

I turned over to the campfire. As I approached the resting elf, she sat up and turned toward me. She was a very young elf. Her face showed beauty like a delicate flower. What made it a tragic beauty was that her eyes were covered up with a bandage. She was blind. She smiled at me. It’s as if she recognized me even when we had never met before.

 

"Ah. Hello,” Saheila said. Her voice sounded that of a gentle flatter, like that of a butterfly.

“I see you come a long way. Far… far from your home? Far from your Empire of the desert?”

 

I hesitate for a moment. “How…do you know this?”

 

"I see it. Before my eyes," she says. She gracefully gestured her hand over the side of the bench next to her. “Please, sit with me for a moment.”

 

What she said gave me a sense of calm and safety. Like that of a child being cared for by a mother. Slowly, I walked over to the bench. I lift my tail over and sit down next to her. She turned her head towards me, but not facing where my eyes were. She lifted her hand and slowly reached out toward my own hand. Her graceful movements conveyed she meant no harm. I relaxed and allowed her to touch my hand. Once she held my scaly hand, she turned her head away, as if to stare of into the distance with her missing eyes.

 

“You…” she spoke absently at first. “You fear. Fear for yourself… for your family. But you fear the most for the souls you have bound yourself to here.”

 

I look over to the children playing in the distance. I was fearful for my family and for Brell. But Saheila was right. At this moment, I was more concerned about those three children. How was it that I suddenly felt like a caretaker for those children, of a different species no less, that I had just met? Was it my motherly instinct kicking in since I was engaged to Brell and able to have children of my own?

 

“I…” I stumbled on what I wanted to say next, so I decided to change the subject. “I was told you may know of a way out of this dreadful place.”

 

Her eyebrows shot up.

 

"There can be a way,” she said. “Amyro knows! But he is gone. "

 

“Amyro,” I repeat his name. “Who is he?”

 

"My protector. My friend. An elf like me, with a spirit bright as new leaves. He tries to help me, to save, and he suffers very much. He is caught by those who hurt him. I wish so much for his return. And he tells you what you seek. A way out."

 

What she was saying didn’t lead to good foresight. ‘Captured by those who hurt him.’ That could only mean one thing in this camp. Griff. That was going to complicate things especially fending off his goons mere moments earlier. But considering my desperation and my instincts wanting to get those three children out of here, it was the only plan I had for now.

 

“I'll help him,” I say.

 

"You bring me great peace. Thank you, my friend, I miss him very much,” Saheila replied.

 

I lift myself from the bench. I sigh before I stride my way up the cave floor.

 

“Wait,” Saheila spoke. I stop and turn back to here. “I see something that helps.”

 

“What is it?” I ask.

 

“I see a lizard,” she replied. “He is a lizard. He is a lizard of many dreams, of far-feeling. You do not free Amyro without him."

 

My eyes widen from the realization. It turns out the Red Prince’s journey was intertwined with the bigger picture more than I though.

 

“That helps immensely, thank you,” I say.

 

“You may find him near the beachside. I pray you succeed in your endeavors,” Saheila then laid back down on the bench.

 

I turned and made my way up to the corner of the cave where Ifan and the Red Prince stood. They had changed their attire significantly. Instead of the rages they came in with, they both wore leather armor with a tunic over them, each fitting their species’ profile. They also each held a dagger in their hands, probably something Kalias gave them to defend themselves without drawing too much attention. They turned their attention to me.

 

“Well, you most certainly took your time,” the Red Prince said.

 

“I’d reckon there was a good reason for it. Is that right?” Ifan asked.

 

“Indeed, there is,” I grin. “Turns out there’s someone here who knows of a way out.”

 

Their attention sharply increased on me.

 

“Well, let’s hear it then,” Ifan said.

 

“Unfortunately, this person is an elf… and he’s been captured by Griff,”

 

As expected, there was a moment of silence before the Red Prince asked, “The crime lord that runs the place?”

 

I nod. He rolled his eyes.

 

“Well that makes your intervention more of a burden doesn’t it? Maybe I should have found somebody else to aid me in-.”

 

“And it turns out the dreamer you were looking for is somehow the key to freeing the elf.”

 

 The Red Prince froze. He stared at me before I continued.

 

“So, the way I see it, we find the dreamer, let you settle whatever you need with him then we’ll ask him what he can do to help us free the elf Amyro.”

 

“I see no problems with that,” Ifan said. He turned to the Red Prince and gave a grin that obviously felt mocking. “How about you, ‘your highness?’”

 

The Red Prince sighed and looked back at me. “I suppose that can work. But if we are to accomplish this task you should dawn much more suitable attire.”

 

I look down at my rags, then at the crates of clothing. Kalias nodded his head and started digging through the crates.

 

“I won’t be long this time,” I say.

 

The Red Prince snorts with doubt. “I’ll be surprised if that turns out to be true.” And he walked off toward the cave entrance. Ifan gave me a reassuring nod, showing he was at least more patient and understanding. He walked toward the cave entrance too.

 

“From what I’ve been told, you reside from the House of Law, correct?” Kalias asked.

 

“Yes,” I say.

 

He continued to dig through the crates.

 

“Normally I’d have my doubts about those in the House of Law. But hearing about your bravery to rescue the Red Prince and the remaining passengers aboard the ship from the Voidwoken, I’d say you may have at least some instinct to survive in the heat of battle.”

 

It was common for soldiers from the House of War to have a stigma towards the House of Law since we acted as a counterweight. But I did apricate at least that he acknowledged my bravery in the situation.

 

Kalias pulled out a sizable female lizard tunic and handed it to me.

 

“Thank you,” I say taking it. I retreat to a darker corner of the cave behind a boulder. I untie the seems and shed the rags from my skin. But before I continue to the second part, I take a moment to feel the cold air in the cave on my bare scaly body. The only thing that intruded on this feeling was of course the collar still attached to my neck. But I shove the worries I had for the collar aside.

 

_Later._ _First thing’s first._

 

I take the pants and slip my slender legs trough, tying the straps tight securing it to my waist. I then fold my frill in and snake my head through the tunic, careful not to upset the collar on my neck. I unfolded my frill and weaved my arms through the sleeves. I looked down at the tunic. They weren’t like the usual wizard robs I wore when I trained with my magic, but this was defiantly better than the rags I was thrown into. I hid away my wand within the tunic. I emerged from behind the bolder and discarded the rags with Kalias. He nodded as I proceeded to the cave entrance. The Red Prince and Ifan turned their attention to me.

 

“Well,” the Red Prince said. “You’ve actually arrived in a reasonable amount of time. I must say I’m actually happy to be wrong in my expectations.”

 

I roll my eyes. “Alright, Saheila told me the dreamer is somewhere down the beach near here. Hopefully he isn’t far.”

 

And sure enough, he wasn’t. We emerged from the cave and walked down to the beach to find a camp set up behind the wreaks of two boats in the shade of an alcove of trees and rocks. From where we stood, we could see the outline of lizard resting on a bedroll next to the campfire.

 

“Splendid,” the Red Prince said. “If you wouldn’t mind, I believe I should commence my business with the Dreamer first.”

 

“Fair enough,” I say. He had been waiting for this while we’ve delayed him several times.

 

But before the Red Prince could walk down the camp, a voice shouted from our right. We turned to see a suspicious human man walking down the beach. The jagged smile on his face and the exasperated giggling noises told us his head wasn’t properly in place.

 

“You're him ain't ya'?” he was looking right at the Red Prince. “They say you'r red.”

 

His jagged smile got even more crooked as he drew his knife.

 

“Red, and dead!” he lunged forward. I jumped clear while the Red Prince and Ifan took the assassin head own on. When I reared my head, I saw the Red Prince pushing the assassin back. Ifan then leapt forward on the assassin’s flank and brought his knife down. The assassin tried to evade but not quick enough as Ifan’s knife came down and embedded itself into the assassin’s bicep. He screamed in pain. He pushed Ifan away, withdrawing the knife from his arm, leaving him open to attack. I hastily rear my wand back and I swing it forward to have a small orb of lightning launch from it.

 

The problem was the Red Prince had the same idea. He lunged forward, right in front of the path of the lighting. I gasped in shock as it hit the Red Prince square in the back causing him to fall onto his belly. The assassin saw his chance and lunged forward with his knife in the hand attached to his unwounded arm. I clumsily tried to ready another attack from my wand. But thankfully I didn’t have to launch it when I saw the assassin stop in his tracks when Ifan’s knife appeared in the side of his throat.

 

The life inside the assassin disappeared when his last breath escaped his mouth. Ifan pulled the blood-soaked knife from the assassin’s throat leaving the body to slump to the ground dead. Ifan stowed his knife within his tunic and kneeled to the Red Prince. But the Red Prince slapped away Ifan’s hand and lifted himself up. There was a singed hole in his tunic where my spell hit him. When he turned around, his eyes burned with a greater intensity than the hole on his back. He strode toward me.

 

“A-a-are you-” I stuttered but he was merely inches away from me before I could ask if he was alright.

 

“What the hell was that?!” the Red Prince scolded at me. His eyes burning into mine. “Were you deliberately trying to make an attempt on my life?!”

 

“I-I-I’m sorry,” the burst of shock was still coursing through my body. “I s-saw an opportunity and t-thought I c-could-”

 

“Well you obviously thought wrong! That was an opportunity for me to take and you should have seen th-”

 

“Hey, hey! Settle down!” Ifan jumped in and stood in front of the Red Prince.

 

“Are you seriously going to take this clumsy spellcaster’s side. It was her fault for-”

 

“It’s both of your faults!” He shot an angry look into the Red Prince’s eyes then looked back at me for a second. “And that’s because we’ve failed to establish a strategy within this party. Perhaps now is the time to make one so we don’t make this mistake again.”

 

The anger in the Red Prince’s eyes burned red but the fire died out after a few seconds of breathing. I dipped my head and closed my eyes. I clearly displayed my shame. I had nothing to prove from this.

 

“Now,” Ifan said. “Mahilia, it’s obvious you are a wizard. You had the right idea in getting out of the way since you’re best when you’re fighting from a distance. However, you’re going to have to observe the battlefield better and learn to communicate with those who are in the thick of the fight. When a frontline soldier is interlocked with an opponent, it’s best to let them handle it. You should single out those who are in the open to cover the frontline soldier. You think you can do that?”

 

I take a deep breath and let the shock go from my body. I then remembered the moment on the ship where I landed a fireball on the voidwoken that was going to attack the Red Prince.

 

“Yes,” I answer. He nodded with a small grin. Then he turned to the Red Prince.

 

“And you,” the Ifan said. “What is your preferred method of combat?”

 

“As a general of the House of War, it was a custom to train in the arts of the sword and the shield.”

 

“Then you’ll be the frontline soldier I talked about,” Ifan said. “Once we get you the proper weapons and protection, you’ll keep those frontline soldiers at bay while our spellcaster here can cover you from afar.”

 

There was a silence between the two men before the Red Prince responded not with an acknowledgement, but a question.

 

 “Then what about you? He asked Ifan. “What is your combat specialty.”

 

“A wayfarer,” Ifan said. “With a crossbow, I’ll be able to drop targets from afar and cover you as much the spellcaster will. But for the moment a knife will have to do with the Magisters having us at a disadvantage.”

 

“So, while you two hold back and throw your arrows and fireballs, I’ll have to do all the hard work and get messy in the process?” the Red Prince asked.

 

“Based on your combat description, yes,” Ifan said.

 

The Red Prince looked between me and Ifan a couple of times before signing, “Oh, very well.”

 

Both Ifan and I knew he was only agreeing to do it begrudgingly since he had never had to fight in a team before like I had. That and he seemed to have some future regrets having to get himself messy with blood and grim. Perhaps he was regretting training to be a strong fighter since all the wars he fought were directed from the comfort of his palace.

 

“So, is everyone in agreement? We know who does what the next time someone decides to attack us?” Ifan looks at me first.

 

“I do,” I say.

 

He looked over at the Red Prince.

 

“Yes,” he said.

 

“Good,” Ifan said. “Now, while I dispose of the body, I suggest you conduct your business with this dreamer you’ve been seeking so we can get him to help free the elf afterwards.”

 

“Gladly,” the Red Prince turned and proceeded down to the alcove. Ifan took a hold of the body and hosted it on his shoulder. He looked over at me and winked. I watched him carry the body down the shore toward one of the nearest shipwrecks.

 

I turned and eyed the Red Prince. With Ifan covering the body, I walked after the Red Prince.


	7. Chapter 7

I couldn’t help but smell the scent of fresh citrus in the air when in the encampment. Oranges weren’t a native fruit from our lands, but it was a common import from the traders who visited the Empire. In fact, Brell was on the verge of securing a citrus plantation off the nearby coasts for his family business a few days prior to my departure.

 

Amongst the scent, the blue male lizard lay on a bedroll. We heard him ramble on in the ancient tongue of our people. From what I could hear, it seemed he was pursuing something in his dreams. The process Dreamers take is that of a journey that needed to be pursued if the visions of the future are to be deciphered and made clear.

 

The Red Prince walked up and stomped his talon onto the ground beside the Dreamer’s head. With a start, the Dreamer’s eyes shot open. He coughed and brought his head up.

 

“Am…Am I awake?” He said, absent of our presence. “I think I need a pinch or…”

 

He turned his head to see the Prince’s talons. He then looked up straight up into his eyes. He immediately stood up, still disoriented from his sudden awakening.

 

“They said you’d be red, but I didn’t think so, so very red.”

 

“I am indeed the Red Prince and I am in need of your services. It is of the utmost importance.”

 

“Oh…oh yes. Of course you have, prince of princes, yes. Indubitably. I, Stingtail, will be happy to aid you.”

 

Having met with several Dreamers in the Empire, this was a common behavior for those whose minds traversed spiritual lands frequently. Some even traversed them so much and to the darkest corners that they became mad or even died.

 

“Please, come. Lay here,” Stingtail motioned to the bedroll adjacent to his own. “We can begin when you are ready.”

 

The Red Prince looked over at me.

 

“Now, I know you have to work on your combat capabilities, but I trust you to please guard me while I initiate the ritual,” the Red Prince said.

 

“Well since you said please…” I said.

 

But he ignored it and already moved to the bedroll. Stingtail reached into a nearby crate and pulled out an orange laced with drudanae leaves. He put the orange in his mouth and gulped it down greedily. The leaves were used to help dreamers relax their minds to fall asleep and make their traversal easier. Stingtail fell into a trance-like state and slowly lowered his head onto the bedroll. The Red Prince lowered his head and moments later he had fallen asleep too.

 

I sat on a nearby rock and waited for a few minutes until I saw Ifan return. But before he could come to the alcove, a wondering female human sourcerer walked passed Ifan. When she looked at him, she froze. She started to hyperventilate.

 

"Ben...ben-Mezd. Ifan ben-Mezd! You killed them. YOU KILLED THEM! HE KILLED THEM ALL! MURDERER!"

 

I hopped off my rock and walked out of the alcove over to Ifan. He stared at the hysterical woman.

 

"No need to fret,” Ifan said. “You don't have a contract on you."

 

"Keep him away from me! Help, somebody! KEEP HIM AWAY!"

 

The women turned and ran down the beach, tripping several times while screaming. Both Ifan and I just stood there watching the woman disappear around the bend.

 

“Aren’t you worried that she’ll rat on us?” I asked.

 

“Not really,” Ifan said. A hysterical sourcerer running around spouting nonsense. I probably wouldn’t buy it either if I were a guard keeping prisoners inside a prison. But it did get me to think about something. I looked down at Ifan who, in turn, looked up at me.

 

“I don’t suppose that showcase is in regard to your handiwork with these ‘Lone Wolves’ I’ve been hearing about?”

 

He shrugged and looked away for a moment.

 

“May I ask what they are?” I asked.

 

He pondered something before looking back at me.

 

“Well, since we’ve officially banded together, I should come clean to make sure I can be trusted I suppose?”

 

I nod.

 

“The Lone Wolves are mercenaries. We are offered contracts and we fulfill them.”

 

He reached into the pocket of his leather armor and produced a piece of paper. He handed it to me. I opened the paper and it read:

 

**Ben-mezd,**

**Your target is none other than Divine Bishop Alexander, leader of the Divine Order. Get close and show our benefactor why the Silver Claw is the most feared amongst all the Lone Wolves.**

**For some aid with your mission, seek Magister Borris in the Ghetto. Speak our motto 'Giechou dumar' to identify yourself.**

**May the moon light your tracks,**

**Roost Anlon**

 

For a moment, I didn’t move. My eyes were locked on the name of the target. But after a while, I move my eyes from the paper back to Ifan. He gave me a look that told me, “What do you think?”

 

“ _Wonder if we’ll get to meet the ringmaster himself…_ ” I quote Ifan’s words the night prior. He chuckled.

 

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re having second thoughts teaming up with me seeing as you don’t like fighting.”

 

I felt even more scared for myself. How would it be possible to get out, find the equipment necessary and get close enough to take down the head of the Divine Order? But then again…

 

“Considering my options right now, I’ll take a Lone Wolf as my ticket out of here than having no ticket at all. But I won’t lie in saying I don’t feel wary about undertaking an almost suicidal task.”

 

“I won’t force you to aid me in doing what I need to do,” Ifan said. “I understand if all you want to do is go home. Especially when you still have one to go back to.”

 

He looked down. His eyes showed he tried to suppress a bad memory. There was a silence between the two of us for a minute.

 

“So…” I steered the conversation away from the depressing note Ifan landed on. “Did you intentionally get yourself caught to get to Alexander?”

 

Ifan’s sour mood faded away when he chuckled. “No, no… it’s-it’s actually a funny story. I’ll tell you about it some time.”

 

I couldn’t help but grin. “I’d actually like that.”

 

“Anyway,” Ifan redirected. “I just wanted to let you know what I need to do. The first step is to find Magister Borris. He’ll be posted back in the Getto where we met.”

 

“And what exactly are you hoping to get out of this bribable Magister?”

 

“The location of the drop off point for my gear. Once we get out of the Fort, we’ll make a stop there and I’ll ready up to do what I need to do. Regardless if you want to join me or not, I’ll help you find a way off this rock and you’ll be able to find your way home.”

 

“Sound’s more than reasonable,” I say. “Though I don’t think it’s wise to leave the Red Prince unguarded in the meantime. Not after the likes of that crooked assassin.”

 

“Agreed,” Ifan said. “You stay here and guard Prince charming and I won’t be long in getting what I need.”

 

He winked and made his way back to the Fort Ghetto. That left me alone on the beach in front of the path to the alcove where the Red Prince dreamed. At least, that was what I thought until I turned around to the path to the alcove.

 

Crouched down and peeping over the top of a protruding anchor in the sand was an elf. But not just any other elf I’ve seen throughout Fort Joy, but the very one who was on the ship the night before. Her eyes were looking straight at the pair of lizards in the alcove camp.

 

Instead of feeling a sense of danger like I should have, guarding royalty after all, I felt a sense of relief because I was hoping to find her. With her movements I saw aboard the ship, she no doubt would be valuable as a crafty rouge to sneak into tight places and unlock doors that hinder our way.

 

I approached her a little too quietly.

 

“I beg your par-”

 

Before I could finish my greeting, I was swept off my feet and found myself on my back with a hand around the crux of my neck. But there was also the indentation of a sharp needle protruding against my windpipe. The elf had floored me and was crouched down over my body, her knees pinning my arms down.

 

“You caught me off guard,” she said. Her yellow eyes pierced through my eyes, like two daggers cutting into my mind. “No one catches me off guard. Better tell me who you really are, or this time I'll let my needle do the licking.”

 

No amount of speech training could prepare me for this. The combination of the needle and the hand constricting my throat caused me to gag.

 

“P-please,” I gasp with the needle protruding on my gracillin neck. “I’m just a young lizard who’s far from home. I just wanted to ask you to help us in escaping this place.”

 

“You need me?” the elf asked. “More like you want to use me.”

 

She leaned in closer, her eyes cutting deeper into me.

 

“Well let me tell you something. I don’t feel like being used, especially by lizards.”

 

It was then she motioned her eyes to her cheek. My eyes followed hers and it was then I saw what she wanted me to see. The realization explained nearly everything. It was a scar of a slave. A common method for lizards in the House of War to control their slaves.

 

“Now you know why I don’t trust you?” she asked bluntly.

 

“My...my family never owned any slaves!” I blurted. “I never did anything of the sort. We don’t use the scar in the House of Law.”

 

“A likely story,” her voice filled with obvious doubt. “But even if you are genuine, you could warn my target, save him, or kill him before I get my chance. That makes you a liability. That makes you needle feed.”

 

“No p-please,” I couldn’t put a persona on. My mind raced to try to find an excuse. “I-I saved your life aboard the ship. A life for a life?”

 

She looked down at me for several moments, as if contemplating how she would kill me.

 

“A fair point,” she said. But she wasn’t finished. “However, I can’t take any chances.”

 

She withdrew the needle and brought her fist to the side of my head.

* * *

 

“Hey, hey, come back to me, lass.”

 

My conciseness faded back to me.

 

“That’s it. Nice and easy,” the voice faded in. I recognized it was Ifan. I felt his hand on the back of my neck as he gently propped me up from the ground.

 

My eyes focused themselves. To my right, Ifan was crouched to my level.

 

“You had me worried there,” Ifan asked. “Do you remember what happened?”

 

I looked to my other side to find the feet of a red scaled lizard. The Red Prince was here with me. Then the realization and the memories came back to me like a slap to my face.

 

“S-Stingtail,” I murmured. Ifan’s face sparked. He looked up at the Red Prince then they both turned their heads to the alcove. The Red Prince took off immediately while Ifan stayed behind to get me to my feet. My mind returned to me just enough to motion Ifan to get going. He took off while I put my body into motion and reestablished my body’s balance in the process. I made it to the alcove where Ifan and the Red Prince stood side by side. I came up between them to find Stingtail laying on his back with the elf locking him in a strangle hold. Her arm wrapped around his neck while her other hand dug the needle into his shoulder. She must have slipped past and hid herself until the Red Prince was finished. When the Red Prince had left him, she had pounced on Stingtail.

 

“P-please, help me,” Stingtail murmured in fear. “This elf is insane.”

 

The elf drove the needle deeper into his shoulder and his scream accompanied it.

 

“Don’t come any closer or I’ll have to do more damage to him than necessary.”

 

“Please don’t,” I step forward. “We need his help.”

 

“He can help you once he answers my question,” the elf said. She shifted her eyes back to Stingtail. He spoke into his ear. “I’m going to ask you this one last time. Where. Is. The. Master?!”

 

“I told you, I don’t kno-”

 

The following scream finished his sentence when the elf took the needle out of his shoulder and thrust it into the muscle of the side of his neck.

 

“No! Stop, stop! The wolves! The Lone Wolves! They may know about the Master!”

 

The mention of the Lone Wolves immediately made me turn to Ifan. The Red Prince did the same. He gave us a look that said, “This is the first time I’ve heard anything about this,” as I suspected. I looked back at Stingtail.

 

“The Master,” Stingtail continued, the pain inflicted on him exhausting his voice. “He’s been using the Lone Wolf mercenaries ever since your escape. You vanished, so he needed others to do his bidding. They may know where he is!”

 

“Alright,” the elf replied, showing a small bit of satisfaction in getting her information. “Where can I find a Lone Wolf?”

 

“There’s already one here,” I speak out and present Ifan to her. He took a step forward. The elf withdrew the needle and let go of Stingtail. The lizard flopped onto the ground panting and squeezing the puncture wounds on his shoulder and neck. The elf stood and strode toward Ifan. The Red Prince drew his dagger and I reached for my wand but Ifan just lifted his hands in front of him to show he didn’t want to fight. She stopped in front of us leering at Ifan.

 

“Take it easy, lass,” Ifan said. “This is news to me, too.”

 

“You’re telling me you don’t know anything to help me?” she asked.

 

“I don’t,” Ifan said. “But I believe my partner, Roost, may know.”

 

His response must have sparked her interest as her leer disappeared.

 

“And where may I find this Roost?”

 

“Hard to say. Lone Wolves are always on the move. But we have a network of messengers to give information on the next target or where we move out area of operations. Perhaps after I fulfill my contract and escape this island, I can help you find the Wolves to get to where you need to go.”

 

“Well,” she looked over at me. “It looks like I’m going to be part of your party after all, scale skin.”

 

At that moment, I felt both relieved but also scared. It was true we needed a rouge to help us escape but it was an elf who had skills with knives and was enslaved by lizards. I was starting to have regrets about my choice. And, to no surprise, the Red Prince shared my doubtful side that was starting to win me over.

 

“You can’t be serious?” the Red Prince said. “This demon elf assaulted a fellow Dreamer.”

 

“He had it coming,” she sneered at the Red Prince. “He was the one who weaved this scar into my skin.”

 

“I told you, I was forced to do it,” Stingtail struggled to speak over the pain that still throbbed in his body. “I never had a wish to…to blemish you; enslave you! I would undo it if I could! Oh, I surely would, I surely would, but I cannot! Only the Master. Only the master can!”

 

“Hold on,” the Red Prince locked his gaze onto Stingtail. He strode forward, ignoring the presence of the elf who maimed Stingtail earlier. He kneeled and grabbed Stingtail by the throat. “You know more than you have shown me, don’t you?”

 

“Dear R-Red Prince,” Stingtail begged through his constricted throat. “The Dreamers are on your side in your quest for the throne. I-I was only forced to serve the House of Shadows for that one task. But I swear to you, I have cut all connections to him. Please, believe me!”

 

The Red Prince’s eyes burned into Stingtail’s eyes. But eventually he let him go, flopping to the ground again, gasping for air and exhausted with pain. But while he did this, my mind began to race from what Stingtail had said.

 

“Did he say the House of Shadows?” I asked the Red Prince. He stood up and looked over at me.

 

“Indeed, he did. It’s the House of Shadows that is sending these assassins to take me out and hiring the human’s mercenary friends to do their dirty work.”

 

“Who or what is the House of Shadows?” Ifan asked me.

 

“I thought it was only a myth,” I explained from what little I knew. “It’s said to be an organization that pulls the strings of the Empire’s Houses from the shadows. But it turns out it might be real after all.”

 

“Which is important that I find what I’m looking for so we can combat the House of Shadows and save my Empire,” the Red Prince tightened his fist.

 

“And, what exactly are you looking for?” Ifan asked the Prince.

 

“For now, Stingtail here has shown me the possible location of another, more experienced Dreamer. She too is believed to be here on the island but in the marshlands outside the fort.”

 

“Well that’s another thing to put on our to-do list, isn’t it?” Ifan said.

 

“Indeed yes,” I said. I felt overwhelmed by this new revelation. In addition to all the tasks I we were embroiled in, I also felt very uneasy knowing about how a mythical fourth faction in the empire was real and, if the stories were true, could be a threat to the entire Empire itself. But I focused my mind to the most pressing issue of the bunch that needed to addressed first.

 

“Regardless of these revelations, it won’t mean anything unless we find a way out of this fort.”

 

I look over at Stingtail and make my way forward to him. When I approached, Stingtail tried to sit up, trying to escape no doubt but failing with the pain in his shoulder weighing him down.

 

“It’s okay,” I kneel to him. I gently put my hand on his unhurt shoulder, doing my best to calm him. I look into his eyes, putting on a person to project that I wanted to help him. And it worked. He turned his body to sit up. I looked at his injured shoulder. I raise my other hand and slowly bring over his wounds. I close my eyes and recite the spell. I gently say the words and I feel the energy build in my core. It then flowed through my arm and radiated out of the palm of my hand. I opened my eyes to see my hand glow with energy and flow onto Stingtail’s wounds. The gashes in his skin closed, the exfiltrated blood still staining the outside. Stingtail then gasped but then sighed in relief as the pain subsided.

 

“Thank you, kin,” Stingtail said. “You’re very kind.”

 

“It comes from being born to the House of Law. We want as little bloodshed as possible.”

 

I sit down next to him. I put my arms onto his shoulders and cradle him. I let my persona talk. “I was told you could help us in freeing a captive elf here.”

 

Stingtail looked at me.

 

“The elf is a captive to Griff because of the stash of citrus I took from him.”

 

“You stole from Griff?” I say not in an accusing way but in a way to say I wanted to understand to come to a solution.

 

“It was a way to keep my drudanae leaves safe. I needed them so I would be able to dream. The elf is believed to be the culprit.”

 

A part of me wanted to scold this man for scapegoating an innocent being. But at the same time, I sympathized with him and couldn’t lash out in anger against a man who was forced to commit an evil act against someone. I continued the conversation with my persona that leaned on the latter half of my feelings on him.

 

“Well, we will need to return the oranges if we’re to free the elf.”

 

“Yes,” Stingtail replied, emotionally exhausted. “Go ahead and take them. But please…please promise me you won’t tell the Cook that I took them. I didn’t want this to happen, I only wanted to dream to escape this horrid reality.”

 

“It’s okay,” I say calmly. “I won’t say you stole them. I promise you that.”

 

“Thank you, kin,” Stingtail said. “I wish you well in your journey to escape.”

 

I release my arms from him and stand up. He lays down again, not to dream but to truly rest to recover from the torment inflicted on him. I walk over to the crate of oranges. I take a hold and pick it up. It was a little heavier than I expected but I found my footing and started to walk toward the three others who were waiting for me. But halfway there, I felt a pair of hands grab a hold of the other side of the crate easing the weight on my arms.

 

“It’s okay, lass, I can take this,” Ifan said. I heed his words, letting my side go letting him take the whole crate. I look over at the Red Prince and Ifan listened in.

 

“Alright, we’re off to the kitchen. Once there we’ll present this to Griff, free the elf and he’ll tell us of a way out.”

 

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” the Red Prince looked over at the elf licking the blood off her needle.

 

“So, are you serious in wanting to join us?” I asked the elf.

 

“I’ve survived being on my own several times over. However, since your human friend is a Lone Wolf, he’s the only lead I have in finding the master. So, I’ll be willing to put aside my… distrust of scale skins long enough to get where I need to go.”

 

I looked over at Ifan. He only smiled and shot his eyebrows up.

 

“Well I…” I struggled to find a reasonable response. “Appreciate you helping us. I hope we can work together.”

 

The elf blinked. She didn’t seem very enthusiastic about the last part I said.

 

“Before we go any further,” I say. “May I ask your name?”

 

“Sebille,” she said.

 

“My name is Mahilia,” I gestured over at the other two in the group. “This is Ifan and this here is the Red Prince.”

 

Ifan nodded his head while the Red Prince only scoffed at Sebille. She shot him a sly smile before walking over to Ifan and they both walked out of the alcove. Before I followed them, the Red Prince gave me a look that said, “What are you thinking?”

 

“Look at it this way,” I say to him. “She’s looking for the same person you are. Perhaps it could turn out for the best.”

 

The Red Prince rolled his eyes and strode off after the others. I stood there for moment to contemplate what had just happened. The elf, Sebille, nearly killing me, the revelation of the House of Shadows, the Lone Wolves’ involvement with them and on top of all of that, we now had a full party of a human mercenary wayfarer, a deadly rouge elf, a strong royal lizard fighter and a novice spellcaster who just wanted to get home to their family and their betrothed.  But it looked like going home was the least of my worries now.

 

I took a breath. One thing at a time. First thing, free the elf and have him show us the way out. I looked back at Stingtail one last time, then I followed the party up the beach to the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew. After three revisions, I finally get the encounter for Sebille right. Tell me what you think.


	8. Chapter 8

The four of us approached a decayed archway.

“Hol’ on, there,” a thug guarding the archway stopped us. “What’cha business ‘ere?”

I take a breath, put on my persona and step in front of the group.

“We have a special delivery for Griff,” I say. I look back to Ifan carrying the crate of oranges. “We heard he’s lost something, and we’ve found it for him.”

The thug looked at the crate. He showed a flash of surprise in his face then returned it to its normal brooding position.

“Go righ’ in,” the thug stepped out of the way.

The four of us stepped through. The kitchen was in a stone decayed room with several scaffoldings and wooden platforms propped up. There was a cooking pot over a firepit, an ale barrel, several crates and barrels of food and a food prep table manned by a single human male. Everything else resembled a bandit’s lair, complete with thugs lining up the walls and cages to keep troublemakers in check. In one of them was a male elf. Amyro I assumed. I could see he was weak with his body bent over and his hands grabbing onto the bars to support himself.

The man at the prep table was peeling a potato with a knife. When we walked in, he lifted his head and put the potato down while keeping the knife in his hand. He had a muscular face with small strands of long blond hair. His eyes were narrow making him look angry no matter what emotion he would display.

“What ya’ want?” Griff said in a grumpy and irritated voice. I wouldn’t be deterred by it. I let the character of my persona take control.

“That elf in that cage,” I looked over at the Amryo then back at Griff. “I’d like you to let him go.”

Griff raised his eyebrows.

“I’m sorry, but he’s the prime suspect in the disappearance of my shipment of oranges. Got to teach them troublemakers manors around here!”

I was about to show him the crate Ifan carried, but before I did, Griff raised a hand.

“Hold on,” he said staring directly at me. “You’re that scale skin who gave my boys trouble, ain’t ya?”

I should have known it would have come to this. I did my best to maneuver the conversation into my favor.

“That is why I want to make amends,” I say. “I have your missing oranges here.”

I motion my arm to present the crate Ifan carried. He gave the crate a small shake while briefly shooting a small grin in the corner of his mouth. I could tell Ifan didn’t like this guy either.

Griff’s eyes widened slightly.

“Bring it here,” He pointed his none-knife wielding hand to the ground beside him. Ifan did so and dropped them off. Griff put the knife down on the cutting board and grabbed one of the oranges out of the crate. He tore into it with both hands, the juice squirting through his fingers. He grinned as he put the squeezed orange aside.

“Looks like everything's accounted for,” Griff looked directly at me. “That’ll amend your little interference with my boys earlier. However, you’re going to have to do one last thing if you want your elf boyfriend back.”

I didn’t like where this was going.

“And that is?” I asked.

“Tell me who actually stole it. Unless you know who actually did it, the elf is guilty and giving back what is mine won’t cut it.”

_Damn it!_ This was the very predicament I wanted to avoid. I made a promise to Stingtail and I just couldn’t break it. If Griff figured out Stingtail was the thief, he would surely be disemboweled in front of the entire camp to be made an example of.

“So, tell me. Who was the one who stole from me?”

I was backed into the corner. I could feel the cracks in my persona starting to show. I had to say something. Perhaps I could say we found it by accident. No, that’s stretching it. Perhaps I could say it was the assassin who tried to kill us. It wasn’t a great option, but it seemed to be the best one that wouldn’t send Stingtail to his death.

“It-”

“It was Stingtail,” Sebille cut me off. All three of us shot our eyes to her. The fear and realization surged through me and nearly broke my persona. I panicked for a second, but I manage to put my persona back on before anyone noticed.

“That deranged scale skin always blabbering about my shipments?” Griff asked. He too was surprised.

“The very same,” Sebille said with an almost devilish smile. She pointed toward the archway we came through with her thumb. “You’ll find him in his little hidy hole down on the beach.”

Griff looked over at me with a grin on his angry face.

“Well then,” Griff said. “I’m happy we’ve been able to help each other out.”

He walked down from the prep station to the cage. He pulled a key from his pocket and put it into the lock.

“You’re lucky this time, elf,” I heard Griff say to Amryo. “If I catch you or any of your kind stealing from me again, there’ll be serious consequences, you hear?!”

Amryo just looked at him with his weakened eyes and pale face. Griff popped the lock off and turned back to us.

“All yours. He should be fine. Eventually,” he said. Before he picked up right where he left off with the potato, he motioned a group of his minions and they went out the archway. All I could do was watch and imagine what would happen to Stingtail now. I tried my best to stow it away, but the guilt weighed in on my heart. I needed to get out of the kitchen as soon as possible. I approached Amryo.

 “Thank you, kind lizard,” Amryo said. His voice felt weak but there sounded to be a determination hidden within the elf. “No doubt Saheila has sent you.”

“Yes,” I say. I looked around me. I whispered to him. “She says you have some valuable information.”

“Ah, yes,” Amryo said. “I’ll tell you what you need to know as soon as we are safe.”

He tried to step out and walk on his own, but his body was too weak to do so. He collapsed and I caught him. I was going to lift him myself but Ifan walked up and said, “Hold on.”

He looked over at the Red Prince. The Red Prince’s eyes widened when Ifan motioned his head toward Amryo.

“Why do I have to do this labor?” the Red Prince asked almost sounding offended. “She seems more than capable.”

“We’ve done our parts of the work, perhaps you should do yours since you’re the strongest of this group.”

The Red Prince stared at Ifan in disbelief for a few moments before looking at Amryo. He snorted begrudgingly. He came over and took a hold of the elf and threw his arm over his neck.

“Try not to make a drag,” the Red Prince said and lifted him up. He had a firm hold and walked out of the kitchen with the rest of us in tow. When we were a good distance away, I stepped in front of Sebille. She stopped and looked up at me, not seeming phased by my sudden movement.

“What in the hells did you do back there?!” I shouted at Sebille. I felt angry and irritated and I brought it out in my voice.

Sebille looked back at the kitchen and casually smiled back at me.

“Well if you hadn’t noticed, I secured our way out of this hell hole.”

 “I made a promise to Stingtail that I would not rat him out.”

“And you kept that promise,” she shrugged and tilted her head back.  “I was the one who did it, not you. You kept your promise and you have nothing to feel guilty about.”

“That’s not the point!” I snapped back. “Stingtail is dead because of you!”

Sebille stowed away her smile.

“Look,” she gave me stern but calm look. “The point is, we were out of options. Unless you wanted to bathe in more bloodshed, which I would have been fine with, one life is a preferable tradeoff for another one. Especially since that life can potentially save the lives of at least four.”

I tried to find a reply, but I found myself at a disadvantage. Her words had merit. That bluff with that dead assassin as the scapegoat would be a longshot considering that Griff may have never heard of that assassin. Was there no other way?

But within my gut, I felt Sebille had wanted this to happen. She wanted Stingtail to suffer and die. A large part of me wanted to scold her and accuse her of deliberately wanting me to suffer because I and Stingtail were lizards. But the other half of me stopped myself because she had been abused by lizards before. But it still didn’t justify any of this. It wasn’t right. But everything was so confusing and frustrating that I didn’t know what to do. All I could manage was looking away from Sebille.

“Go,” I said. My fists were clenched, and my body was stiffened with suppressed anger. “Your own kin needs your help. Best to keep him out of the hands of a scale skin.”

I stormed away. I leaned up against a nearby pillar of the decayed fort. I squeeze my eyes shut. The anger in me surged back and forth to the point where I banged both of my fists against the stone and let out a brief scream of frustration. I pressed my head against the stone and sulked. In my mind, I imagined Stingtail being awakened and dragged to the kitchen kicking and screaming with the feeling betrayal fueling his fear. I didn’t want to go down the beach to see it for myself.

After a few deep breaths, I felt my body relax and the anger eased away. Then I felt a hand gently touch my shoulder. I looked and saw it was Ifan. I pushed myself off the pillar and looked down at him. I could see from his eyes he had empathy for me.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

All I could do was sigh and dip my head.

“Why did she have to do that?” I told Ifan. “I promised him this wouldn’t happen. Gods damn it!”

“It’s not your fault, Mahilia,” Ifan brought up a hand to my shoulder again. I lift my head up and look into Ifan’s eyes. “I know it isn’t fair, but you have to understand that there wasn’t anything we could have done at that point. I didn’t like it as much as you, but if we were to save the elf, we had to make a sacrifice. I’ve had to make a lot of those in my life. I know it isn’t pretty, but sometimes we have to make them.”

If I’d heard it from Sebille, I’d have assumed she’d only said that to come up with an excuse for her to have Stingtail go to his death. But hearing from Ifan, I felt he genuinely believed in what he was saying. I moved my lips around from the conflicting emotions. Eventually I close my eyes, narrow my brows and nod my head.

“Are you going to be okay?” He asked me. “We’re going to need your help if we’re going to get out of here.”

“I’ll…” I did my best to bring the words out of my chest. “I’ll be okay.”

Ifan gently clapped me on the shoulder and gave me a soft grin. His look gave me a small spark that lightened my mood.

“Well then… shall we head back?” he asked tilting his head down the beach.

I nodded again, with a little more enthusiasm. He certainly made me feel better. Ifan started down the beach and I followed right beside him. Now that my sour mood was past, I could think clearly. I then remembered something.

“By the way, did you find that magister you needed to speak to?” I asked Ifan as we walked down the beach.

“As a matter of fact, I did,” he said.

“How’d it go?”

Ifan considered what he was going to say to me.

“I had to do some negotiating, but I got what I needed.”

One word in his response stood out to me.

“May I ask what you mean by negotiating?”

“Well, he wanted me to kill someone,” He started. “I didn't want to kill them. So being a little impolite seemed the least bad option...,” he said.

I could imagine how it went down.

“Did it involve just a little bit of muscle?” I asked.

“Only the one in my jaw,” Ifan said. It reassured me that he didn’t have to kill another person. “The chap couldn’t negotiate up from where I set things. Perhaps I could teach you the technique to add to your diplomatic skill set.”

I chuckled.

“I’m all for learning something new, especially when it can be used to avoid bloodshed.”

Ifan grinned again. “Anyway, I know where we need to go when we get out of here.”

“Good,” I said. “Now all we need is that way out Amryo knows of.”

We arrived at the cave entrance. The Red Prince, Amryo and Sebille had already entered. We passed through to see Amryo embracing gleeful Saheila down near the fire. The Red Prince stood there with his arms crossed obviously impatiently waiting for me. Surprisingly Sebille wasn’t there at the fire with the other elves. Instead she was staring at Kalias as he dug through his inventory for her. No doubt she was keeping her distance and keeping on her toes incase the lizard or someone behind her would do something.

The three children playing in the corner of the cave. Just the way I had left them. I was happy to see they were still okay. They ran to me when I came to them.

“We’re so happy to see you again,” Trice said. “I was worried something may have happened to you.”

I was tempted to tell them about the encounter with the assassin or the part when Sebille put me onto the floor. But I decided it wasn’t the appropriate time.

“I wasn’t,” Paulie said. “I know that with Ifan by your side, you can take on anything.”

I looked over at Ifan. He pushed his lips together and shrugged with a tilted head.

“Well even with our skills, we won’t turn down the help of others,” I told the children. “That’s why we got a new team member.”

“You mean that new elf lady?” Sandy said. “She looks scary. She’s not like the other elves.”

Although I still had some lingering anger for Sebille inside me, I pushed it aside. I couldn’t let anger cloud my judgment.

“She may be scary, but she has skills we’ll need to escape, just like the Red Prince.”

“You know what’s best, Mahilia,” Paulie said. “We trust you.”

“Thank you,” I said. “Now, I’m going to talk to the person who knows how to get out of here. You three just wait for a little while longer and we’ll leave as soon as I know where we need to go.”

“Okay,” Trice said. The other two nodded in agreement.

The children retreated to their play corner. I shot Ifan a grin and he did the same. We walked over to Amyro and Saheila who embraced each other.

“I’m happy to have helped,” I announced my presence to Saheila. Ifan stood next to the Red Prince behind me while I spoke to the elves.

“I thank you greatly, my friend,” Saheila said. “Your kindness shall not be unrewarded. Amyro. Please tell them of the way.”

Amyro gently patted Saheila on the shoulder and looked at me.

“There is passage that runs below the Fort. It is dangerous. But it leads to freedom. You’ll find it further down the beachhead. The entrance is concealed, but you’ll find it with a keen eye.”

Having the thought of the way out eased a good amount of the burden.

“Thank you for your help,” I said. However, there was a lingering thought on my mind. “But what will happen to you? You two could come with us. Or perhaps the others in this cave can too.”

“Thank you, my friend,” Saheila said. “But only you survive the passage. I see it. You are free. We must remain.”

“Are you sure about this?” I asked. I felt very concerned. “You’ll be at the Divine Order’s mercy.”

“I see your heart,” Saheila said. “You want only to help. But if you are to help me, you must go. Alone.”

I looked over at Amyro and he nodded. He stood by what Saheila had said.

“Okay,” I said. “I pray your god will watch over you.”

“As I for yours,” Saheila said. She then took a hold of Amyro again both elves giving comfort to each other. It still didn’t feel right to me leaving them here. But I conceded. It was a sacrifice, as Ifan put it.

I let the two elves be and turned back to Ifan and the Red Prince. To my surprise, Sebille had already changed her attire to a leather outfit and had joined the other two, keeping Ifan between her and the Red Prince.

“So,” Sebille spoke up. “Did the blind nut tell you where we need to go?”

Sebille’s tone surprised me. I hadn’t expected her to refer to her own kind like this. She must have had a history with her kind or something from what I could observe. Could she be an exile? Like the Lizard exiles who left the Empire either in disgrace or by choice? It raised questions. But it wasn’t time to ask them.

“Yes,” I answered her. “There’s a concealed entrance to a tunnel further down the beach. Amryo says it runs under the fort and it may be dangerous. But I believe it’s the best course of action we have.”

“Works for me,” Sebille said with a relaxed poster. “I’m more than ready for a fight.”

“Now hold on there, lass,” Ifan turned to her. “Before we get to the fighting, we need to make sure that we can fight together.”

Sebille was silent for a moment then replied.

“Teamwork isn’t quite my specialty. But I suppose it’s not too late to learn something new.”

Ifan looked over at the Red Prince then back at Sebille.

“Since you have a way with knives and quick reflexes, you’ll act as support for the frontline soldier.”

She looked over at the Red Prince and, as I expected, they both gave each other a look of disgust.

“Please,” I interjected before Ifan said anything. “I know we have some bad blood between us. But we can’t let that keep us from working together.”

Sebille gave me a neutral look then gave a small grin.

“I guess I’m willing to look past appearances for the time being,” Sebille said. “Though I will be keeping my distance outside of the fight.”

It was a start for sure.

“Okay,” I said. But before I could say anymore, I heard my stomach growl. We all looked at each other and we realized none of us have had a proper meal since the night before. It was then an elf walked up to us.

“You will need your strength, friend,” she reached into the basket she held and pulled out a full loaf of bread. My eyes widened and my stomach lurched seeing the food presented to us. But my mind stepped in front of my stomach.

“Are you sure you want to give that to us? You seem to have a short supply of food as it is.”

“Sebille insisted you have it,” the elf said. “And don’t you worry about the children in your company, I have fed them apples while you were rescuing Amryo.”

She bowed to me.

“I wish you well, friend.”

She walked away to join Saheila.

I looked down at the loaf of bread. My stomach beckoned to have it. I turned back at the others and I could see in their eyes that their stomachs were the same as mine. Though the Red Prince’s eyes showed his stomach was aching more.

I immediately began pulling the bread into quarters. I offered the first piece to the Red Prince and, not to my surprise, he snatched it up and hastily stepped aside gorging himself on it. The next piece was to Sebille. To my actual surprise, she accepted it with a smile on her face and a gentle curtsy. I couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy seeing her act like that. The last was Ifan. He took his piece with a polite grin and nod. I nodded in return. We both found a nearby rock to sit and have our bread. We both ate our pieces in silence.

The bread itself was in decent condition. Not at all stale like I expected it to be. I bit through the crust and gulped down the morsels one by one where my stomach accepted each graciously. When I had finished, my stomach wasn’t aching as badly anymore. I wasn’t famished, but it would do for me and the others to do what needed to be done. Ifan and the others had finished their pieces. All that was left was to gather the children and make our escape.

“You lead the others outside. I’ll get the children and meet you outside.”

“Sure thing,” Ifan said.

I walked over to the children and they stood up immediately.

“Are we ready to get out?” Sandy said.

“Yes,” I said to them. “The path will be dangerous, so I need you to stay behind me and do what I say, when I say it.”

“You got it, Mahilia” Paulie said. The others nodded in agreement. They were ready, and so was I.

“Then follow me.”

With the children close behind me, I walked up to the cave entrance where my three new companions were waiting. We were off to escape Fort Joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! College is finally over. That means I can now have more time to work on this now.
> 
> I apologize to all the Stingtail sympathizers out there, but I felt it was necessary for the development of the characters here. Also, I know I left out Saheila’s amulet, but I felt it was necessary to leave out considering it turns out to be irrelevant later.
> 
> But otherwise, I’m really having a blast continuing this story. Reviews fuel me to get them done faster. Tell me what you think. It really helps. Thank you for reading. Chapter 9 is already in the works.


	9. Chapter 9

The four of us, and the three children in tow, walked down the shady beach. Luckily, we didn’t encounter any of Griff’s goons or Magisters patrolling the area. After a minute walking and scouring the sands, we came to the edge of the beach that ended in with a steep cliff wall. No other way out other than swimming for miles and drowning halfway to shore. There were also several pieces of junk littered amongst the beach. The remains of a rowboat, rocks, chunks of wood and even a length of intact rope. The entrance to the tunnel had to be here somewhere.

“You know,” the Red Prince spoke up. “I’ve just had a thought. It’s really going to be hard to fulfill my role of the ‘frontline soldier’ considering I don’t have proper weaponry or protection.”

“What? The plates on your chest and your scaly skin not enough to stop arrows?” Sebille retorted. I could tell the Red Prince was irritated by Sebille’s remark, but he brushed it aside.

“All I’m saying is that if I’m to bear the brunt of the attacks our enemies, it would be wise to be given a sword and a shield as soon as possible.”

“Well lucky for you, this beach is littered with the tools necessary to make somethings adequate enough,” Ifan said picking up the rope. He then pulled out a small hammer from one of his pockets. He must have picked that up while he was out finding the bribable Magister in the fort ghetto.

“Just give me some time and I’ll have you a sword and shield ready.”

“In the meantime, we’ll look for the entrance,” I said.

Ifan nodded. He started picking up pieces of the wood litter on the beach and started pulling the nails off the boat. The Red Prince and Sebille went their separate ways along the beach.

“Okay,” I turned to the children. “Do you want to help?”

“Of course,” Paulie said and the others agreed.

“I want you to stay together and search for anything that may look like a hole to a tunnel or cave. Stay on the beach so I will still see you.”

“Okay Mahilia,” Trice said. “We’ll do our best.”

The children set off together and I went my own way on the beach. I walked across the beach, occasionally running my claws through the sand to feel for anything out of the ordinary. The search continued until Ifan had finished his crafting project. He called the Red Prince over and presented him with his makeshift sword and shield, which was Ifan’s knife attached to the end of a stick and a cluster of wood pieces nailed together to make a flat shield. The Red Prince took a hold of his new equipment. I could see he wasn’t impressed with the quality of his new gear. Ifan shrugged and got up from his crafting spot with his own new weapon; a bow made from a branch and rope along with some makeshift arrows. At least Ifan and the Red Prince would be equipped for a fight, all be it with weapons that would be lucky enough to last at least one battle.

The search continued for a few more minutes until I heard Trice call out.

“We found something!”

I came over to them immediately and the others did too. The children had found a rim of stone that was protruding out of the sand. I brushed aside some of the sand. The rim grew wider and deeper.

“How deep does it go?” Paulie asked.

“Deep enough that I’ll have to get my claws dirty. Stand back.”

Everyone did, giving me the room to stand up and kneel directly over the pile of sand. I dug my claws into the ground, pulling the sand under my legs out behind me. I continued unearthing the stone structure until suddenly the sand started to sink into the ground.

“What’s happening?” Paulie asked. I stepped to the side. The sand continued to sink until it stopped, leaving a hole large enough for all of us to fit through. I laid down on my belly and leaned my long neck into the hole. I could see a cavern inside. I pulled my head out.

“It’s what we’ve been looking for,” I said. “The sand’s piled up from inside the tunnel. Should make for a comfortable slide down to the tunnel floor. I’ll go first and you three follow me when I say.”

“Okay,” the children said, and my three companions nodded in agreement.

I tucked my arms into my chest and dropped into the hole. Like I expected, I slide down the pile of sand and gently landed onto the stone floor. I immediately stood and looked back up at the sunlight gleaming through the hole atop the pile of sand.

“Okay, come down one by one,” I called up. One by one, the children gave a small cheer when they slid down the sand. My three teammates followed until we were all in the cave.

“No going back now,” Sebille said looking back up at the hole. Considering how smoothly the sand moved, it would have been impossible to climb back up the hole. We were truly on our way now.

“Onwards then,” the Red Prince said. I took a breath and together, we proceeded into the tunnel. When we passed the reach of the sunlight, a new light illuminated the tunnel ahead. From around the corner, a flickering red light draped the wall. We turned the corner to find an opening to a ledge overlooking a cavern. We stopped at the edge and looked down at the bottom to see streams of flames coating the floor of the cavern. We could see movement inside the flames.

“What’s down there?” Sandy whispered. Ifan kneeled and squinted down at the flaming pit.

“Fire slugs,” Ifan said. Fire slugs were person sized mollusks that produced flames instead of slime. I’ve read about the fauna of the lands outside the Empire, both common and rare. I was about to say it was odd seeing fire slugs here, but I was startled when a single fire slug dropped from above and landed right next to me. The heat caused by the flames blasted over me causing me to jump and fall onto my back. The children immediately ran behind me while the Red Prince and Sebille drew their weapons read to fight.

“Wait, wait!” Ifan jumped in front of them. “I can handle this.”

The lizard and elf looked at each other with a puzzled look. They relaxed their stance after a few glances. Ifan turned to the slug and kneeled.

“Hello there,” Ifan said in polite voice. I came to my feet, feeling the flames of the slug radiate over me. The slug looked directly at Ifan and shook itself making squishy sounds accompanied by the flames flowing from its body.

“Oh?” Ifan responded. “And who might this princess be?” The Red Prince raised his eyebrows while the children looked at each other in equal parts of fascination and confusion.

“What in the blazes is he doing?” the Red Prince whispered.

“He’s a fauna tongue,” Sebille answered. The Red Prince and the children all looked at Sebille.

“A what?” Paulie asked.

“He’s a person with the ability to talk to animals,” I said. I have read about certain individuals who were able to do so. The most common were elves, seeing as their society revolved around humid lands more abundant in life.

“Wow,” Sandy’s eyes were wide with wonder. “I’d love to be able to do that!” The other children nodded in agreement. I looked back at Ifan’s conversation with the slug.

“And what exactly has the princess in such a foul mood?” Ifan said. The slug moved its body around again.

“Well the Divine Order controls this place now,” Ifan said after the slug finished rambling. “Whoever this Braccus Rex is, he must be long gone by now.”

I gasped. The name…Braccus Rex. It sparked a memory from my studies. Did the Divine Order put the fort to hold Sourcerers on the residence of one of the most evil and corrupt Sourcerers of history? But I put my surprise away to witness the slug suddenly bouncing around. There was joy coming from the slug. It rambled on further before it turned around and lurched its way up a small slop of rocks. Ifan turned back to find all of us staring at him.

“I probably should have mentioned my little talent, shouldn’t I?” Ifan said.

“It’s okay,” I said. “It most defiantly helped out here.”

“How can I learn to talk to animals?” Sandy asked enthusiastically.

“Unfortunately, it’s not something one can simply learn on their own,” Ifan said. “I gained this talent when my source powers linked me to my Soul Wolf, Afrit.”

“Soul Wolf?” Trice asked.

“Yes. Afrit is my wolf who accompanies me whenever I need him. Unfortunately, the collar here prevents me from summoning him.”

“Oh,” the children sighed.

“So, what did that fire slug say?” the Red Prince asked. “Who is this princess you were talking about?”

“He says she’s Princess Zenthia of the Firelands. Sounds like this Braccus Rex punished her for some reason. Might want to talk to her to see if she knows of the way out of here.”

“Right,” the Red Prince said. “You may lead the way, humble ambassador.”

 I could tell Ifan wasn’t amused by the Red Prince’s remark. He walked down the slops of the cave down to the pit where the bulk of fire slugs roamed. The Red Prince and Sebille followed behind while I took ahold of the children’s hands and told them to stay close behind me.

We traversed the rocky bottom of the pit and kept our distance from the fire trails left behind by the slugs. The slugs stopped and watched us pass with their slimy eyes following us. All the while the heat of the flames pounded on my skin. I imagined Ifan, Sebille and the children were sweating hard while my body could only take in the heat to warm my cold blood.

We eventually found ourselves before a fire slug three times the size of the others. This must have been Princess Zenthia Ifan had mentioned. He stepped forward. The slug looked at him.

“Greetings, Princess Zenthia,” Ifan bowed before her. The slug shuffled as if displaying it being flattered by Ifan’s gesture. Then it moved around, communicating to Ifan.

“I’ve heard of your plight, but never fear. Braccus Rex has been long-vanquished.”

The princess was still for a moment then it franticly shook its body around. I could tell the giddiness that surged through her. She then moved her protruding eyes to a small rock untouched by the fires. On top of it was a letter. Ifan took it, most likely at the slug’s request. The Slug bowed her head and slithered away. Ifan looked over at the rest of us and motioned his head toward the other side of the pit. There we could see a passage that led out of the chamber. We found our way forward. We moved up the passage, feeling the heat of the fires subside.

“What’s in that letter?” I asked Ifan.

“She said it is a proclamation and I’m to bring it to anyone who will hear of it.”

“A proclamation? For what?” the Red Prince asked.

He opened the note and made a quick read through it. He couldn’t help himself in chuckling before he paraphrased what it said.

“She wishes to have all public records of her marriage with Braccus Rex be stricken and have the world know she’s willing to consider courtship overtures from gentlemen of note and wealth befitting of her royal status.”

The paraphrasing was most defiantly amusing but at the same time it felt tragic.

“Well, I think we might have found a suitable prince here don’t you think?” Sebille looked over at the Red Prince. He only stared at the sarcastic elf.

“My scales may be the color of fire, but my royalty is authentic unlike her delusion,” the Red Prince snorted back.

“I don’t know,” Sebille said with a mocking smile. “She seems very adorable. I’m sure you’d make a powerful couple.”

I heard the children behind me giggle. The Red Prince said nothing.

“You said she was the wife of Braccus Rex?” I asked Ifan.

“Until she spoke out against him after the marriage turned bad. Then he turned her and her servants into those things.”

“Oh, that’s horrible!” Trice said. “Is there a way to turn them back?”

“None that I know of, unfortunately,” Ifan said. The children felt bad hearing there wasn’t anything we could do for the princess.

We followed the passage until we came to what seemed to be a dead end. But before any of us could say anything, we caught the outline of light coming behind a rock in at the base of the rocky wall.

“Must be crawl space,” I said. Large enough for all of us to fit through thankfully. The Red Prince came over and, without making a fuss, took a hold of the rock and pulled with all his might. The rock slid out and the Red Prince put it to the side. The light shown through stronger. I laid down and peaked through the hole. What I found wasn’t what I expected. I found myself in a prison cell occupied by a single female lizard sourcerer. She gasped and spoke franticly.

“Who are you?! Who are you?! You get out of here! Where are the guards? Guards? Help!”

I gasped and scampered through the hole. I brought my hand to the lizard’s mouth. I forced her against the wall, she squirmed and tried screaming through my hand.

“Shh, shh!” I said trying to calm her down. “Keep it down, if the guards come, we’ll both be in trouble. Just calm down and we’ll be okay. I promise kin.”

The eyes of the lizard were filled with fear. Even when she had stopped squirming and screaming, her eyes still danced with horror. She must have seen something. Something bad. When she was calm enough, I pulled my hand away and took a step back. The others had crawled though the hole and joined me in the cell. The lizard trembled and shuttered.

“Are you okay?” I said gently. “What’s the matter?”

The lizard stared at me for a while and looked at the others before she uneasily replied.

“…t-they do terrible things here. If they think for a second, I’m trying to escape again, they’ll do to me what they did to h-him.”

“What happened? What did you see?”

“Not seen,” she started again. Her sentences were falling apart from the terrors dancing through her body. “Heard. There’s a man here. They tortured him. Questioned him. ‘Seekers,’ something about ‘Godwoken.’ He didn’t know anything, but they didn’t care. I heard his screams. I heard something…eating him. From the inside. Gnaw, Gnaw, Gnaw. It can’t happen to me. It can’t. it can’t, it can’t…”

The uneasiness she brought out slowly affected me. What could the Magisters be doing here? But I couldn’t let it bring me down. I needed to move on. I tried to move the conversation away from the dark place it was in.

“You said you tried to escape before. Can you tell us where you-?”

“Shht!,” she cut me off. “You can’t escape. Don’t you know what’s outside the Fort?”

I shook my head.

“I tried to leave. I heard of a shelter in the Hollow Marshes, a place where Sourcerers can go…the undead had their hands on me in five minutes. Shredding, tearing. I came limping back, and now…now…now…”

She rambled until she closed her eyes and squeezed her face tight. She leaned against the wall, her body was knotted to the point it could snap. What she said sounded both haunting but also hopeful. A place Sourcerers can escape to. But undead? I’ve heard tales of souls who were still trapped in the mortal realm of Rivellon. Either as ghosts that haunted their graves or inhabiting the skeletal remains of their bodies still walking among us. Either that or the arts of Necromancy bringing the bodies of the dead to life again for whatever purposes the caster wanted.

“We’re more than prepared for anything outside of the fort,” I said. “We’ll protect you if you show us how you escaped.”

She seemed oblivious to my statement and only looked absently at the wall to her left.

“Outside the bones are gnashing. In here the Magisters are… are cutting, slicing, grinding, smashing…What to do! Ungh what to do…”

“This pathetic kin has lost her mind,” the Red Prince walked up next to me. “We should waste no more time and leave her to her insanity.”

I looked at the others and they agreed with the Red Prince. The poor lizard withdrew to the corner of the cell and curled into a ball. She was beyond reason or saving. I looked over at the cell door. I tried to open it. As expected, it was locked.

“Stand aside,” Sebille was already on it before I was able to ask. I took my step to the side and Sebille had already pulled out a set of lock picks from her pockets and went to work on the lock. I went over to the children while we waited.

“Is it true what she said?” Sandy asked me. I could tell the prisoner’s words had shaken them.

“About what?” I said.

“About there being undead outside the fort.”

“I don’t know, but if there are, I’m going make sure they won’t lay a finger on any of you. That’s a promise. Remember, I’ll be brave for you, if you’ll be brave for me.”

“Yes, Mahilia,” all three of them said. It was all the reassurance I needed. A moment later, the lock popped, and the cell door creaked open. Sebille only stood up and looked back at us with a smile of pride.

“Okay, stay close to me,” I said to the children. One by one we exited the cell, but not before the deranged prisoner let out one last ramble.

“Poor things. Poor fools. I hope it’s an easy death, then. Decapitation! Yes, I do wish that for you. Take care. Take care.”

I told the children to pay her no mind. I closed the cell door leaving it as it was, other than being unlocked of course. We looked around us to see a dozen cells lining the walls. We were in the fort dungeon. Torches lit a select few walls giving it an unsettling atmosphere. There weren’t any Magisters around, thank the gods. But there were several voices of inmates coming from the cells. 

 “Come on,” Ifan said. “We’d better find the way out fast.”

He went towards a flight of stairs leading to an upper level, being light on his feet. We did the same. But when I had past a cell on my way to the stairs, I heard a pain filled voice utter a familiar name.

“Atusa…”

I stopped and the children did the same. I looked through the bars atop the cell door. What I saw was horrid. An elf was laying on the cell floor. His skin was pale as a corpse, like the flesh was slowly falling off his bones, but he was just enough alive to speak. His face flashed so many emotions so fast I couldn’t tell what he was feeling. This must have been the man who the lizard prisoner had spoken about.

“Atusa… is that you?” He uttered. Atusa, the lizard Magister whom the head Magister, Dallis, had executed in front of the fort. He must have thought I was her, with me being a lizard like her.

“I’m sorry,” I told him through the bars. “Atusa is dead. She was executed by Dallis.”

The elf looked up at the ceiling of his cell. He first sighed with devastation. Then he groaned with pain. While he did, I heard Ifan whisper my name from the stairway. I looked over at him and he brought his hand up to tell me to come along. I signaled him to hold on for a moment and pointed into the cell.

“Who are you?” I asked the elf. He did his best to overcome the pain and answer.

“V-Vardes,” I said. “She…Atusa…she was to help me. Help me leave.”

His body spasmed again.

“They did this to me. They’re eating holes in my mind. They’re making tunnels…”

He groaned in pain and tilted his head. I didn’t know why I continued to watch this horrid scene of suffering. But he looked at me again. I could see a tear running down his cheek.

“I’m done for, but you…you…there’s still hope…you must escape this place. Tell ‘em I say hello when you make it out. They’ll be looking for me. Tell them.”

He looked back up at the ceiling again. I couldn’t tell if his life had ended right there or if he was only preserving what little life he had left in him. I felt Paulie patting me on the arm wanting to leave as soon as possible. I nodded and I led the children to the stairway. Ifan and the others lead the way up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that fauna tongue isn’t as cute of a name for the Pet Pal trait, but I’d figure I’d put my own spin on the lore since it’s not that clearly explained. Next chapter is in the works and will be up soon. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing my story. It really means a lot to me.


	10. Chapter 10

As we crept up the steps, I told the group of my encounter with Vardes.

"If Atusa was trying to get Vardes out, do you think there are more magisters who're helping Sourcerers escape?"

"Possibly," Ifan said. "Though it's best not to ask any magister that comes our way."

"Still, someone may know if this sanctuary we've been hearing about actually exists."

We reached the top of the steps to find a new hallway of stone walls. Chandlers hung above with candles lite and torches lined the walls. Barrels, crates and other supple containers littered the corridor. All around there were doors and more stairs. From within the hallways, we could hear distant noses.

"Easy to get lost in here," Sebille said. "Anyone have a clue where to go?"

Before anyone could answer, we heard a voice shouting from behind one of the doors. Instinctively, we hide behind whatever was nearest to us. We heard the voice shouting again followed by what I perceived to be a punch to a face. I looked over at Ifan and I slowly crept to the door. I moved my eye to the keyhole and peered through it.

I saw four magisters standing around a fifth magister who was tied to a chair. His face was swollen, and his left side was bloodied. The leader, from what I observed, wound up his fist and swung it against the magister's face. The other three only stood around with their arms crossed.

"How many was it Del?!" the leader scolded the magister. "How many of 'em did you let go?!"

"I…I…" Del, the tied magister, tried to speak but the pain got in the way.

"Go on, speak!" the leader said. "That's why you're here isn't it?"

Del spat out a wad of blood before replying, "It- it isn't… right!"

"That right, Del?" the leader put his hands on his hips. "Isn't right to save the entire realm from divine-damned chaos?"

Del tried to respond but a sob got in the way.

"P…please…" he said weakly. The leader grabbed Del by the forehead. If Del had hair, the leader would have grabbed him by that instead. He brought his face down into Del's.

"Gods knows how much blood you have on your hands now. You can't let 'em go! This is our only hope against the Voidwoken!"

He pulled his face away and let go of Del's head.

"I ought to feed you to my hounds for this treachery."

I pulled away from the door and crept back into the room. The others gathered around me.

"There's a magister being tortured in there. He might be associated with Atusa."

"Which means he might know of a way out," Sandy whispered.

"You have to save him, Mahilia," Trice said.

"How many of them are in there?" the Red Prince asked.

"Four," I said. "Better equipped and better trained."

"Well, we can most certainly tip the odds in our favor," Sebille twirled one of her daggers. She looked over at Ifan. "Can't we?"

He looked around the room, observing the crates and barrels. I could see he was formulating an ambush.

"If we can set things up right, we could do it."

Everyone else seemed ecstatic about the plan. Initially, I didn't feel it was going to be worth it. We'd have to take four lives to save one. But it was a life that was possibly helping sourcerers escape. With his help, we could find the quickest and safest route out of the fort and into the Hallowed Marshes. It was a sacrifice we were willing to take.

"Okay," I said. "What's the plan, Ifan?"

We huddled together and Ifan whispered the plan. A few minutes later, everything was in place and everyone was in position. We started the first part of the plan. A box was dropped and slammed onto the floor, breaking open and spilling its contents.

"What in the blazes was that?" I heard the leader behind the door. "Vern, check out what that racket is."

Several seconds later, the magister with a crossbow on his back opened the door. He saw the broken box. He went over to inspect it, just out of the line of sight of the doorway. The perfect spot for Sebille to gingerly leap from her hiding spot and land right behind the unsuspecting magister. With graceful motions, Sebille put a dagger into an exposed part of his armor. Before he could scream, Sebille put the second dagger into his throat and forced him to his knees. She withdrew the knives and brought the body gently to the ground behind a pile of creates. After that, she ducked out of sight.

"Vern?" The leader called out. "What's going on? You better not be messing around out there."

The leader let out a sigh of frustration and walked out of the room with the remaining two magisters behind him. They looked around trying to find their missing comrade.

"Vern, where the hell are-" the leader stopped his sentence when he saw a barrel of oil next to him. His eyes widened.

"Disperse!"

Ifan's arrow soared through the air and the flaming tip hit its target. The barrel erupted into flames, consuming the closest magister. The two remaining magisters jumped clear, scrambling to keep out of reach of the ignited flames. They immediately got to their feet only to find another red danger coming right at them. The leader jumped out of the way leaving the second to last magister at the mercy of the charging red lizard. The Red Prince slammed his body against the magister, knocking him into the flames. The magister flailed and screamed as he was burned to a crisp. The Red Prince took his stance and faced down the leader who drew his sword, ready to fight him. But the bolt of lightning I cast into his back left him vulnerable. The Red Prince took his chance and thrust his knife on a stick at the magister. It landed straight into the leader's throat. The Red Prince twisted the stick and the knife broke off still in the magister's throat. The magister's body fell to the floor, gargling his last breath trough his blood-soaked mouth.

Immediately, the Red Prince threw his now useless weapon away and ran over to the nearest water barrel. He picked it up and tossed it onto the flames. The water surged out and doused the flames. The path to the room holding Del was clear now. Ifan, Sebille, the children and I then emerged from our hiding spots.

"Well done everyone," Ifan said with a smile.

"You were all amazing!" Paulie said.

It did feel good being able to accomplish a successful combat encounter as a team. Still, a quick glance at the bodies gave me an uneasy feeling in my stomach. But I put it aside to focus on the task at hand. I immediately ran into the room and kneeled in front of the battered magister. Sebille walked behind Del and began cutting the ropes.

"It's okay," I said to him. "We're here to help you."

"Please," Magister Del coughed blood out of his wheezing mouth. "Please! Healing… I need healing!"

He was hurt badly. Too much for my simple healing spell to cure. It was useful only for small injuries like cuts and stabs like the injuries Sebille's needle inflicted onto Stingtail. I looked over at the table and wouldn't you know it, a small healing potion sat on it. I grabbed the potion just as Sebille finished freeing Del's hands. I took my hand and gently tilted his head back. I popped the cork off the potion and slowly poured the potion into his mouth. He swallowed the liquid, gulp after gulp until the bottle was empty. I let go off his head and took a step back.

Del inhaled sharply, like he had emerged from below water desperate for air. He brought his freed hands to his head, massaging his face. He opened his eyes to see me kneeling in front of him.

"T-thank you lizard," Del said. He looked over at Sebille and the others, seeing our source collars. "You must be trying to escape this place, aren't you?"

I nodded. "We overhead the interrogation when we passed through here. We thought you may know of a way out of this place."

"I do," Del said. "I couldn't take the sight of Alexander and Dallis doing the terrible things to the sourcerers, especially the children."

"Does that mean you're associated with Magister Atusa?" I asked.

He looked at me with some surprise. "How do you know about her?"

I prepared to give him the bad news.

"Dallis executed her earlier today. I'm very sorry."

Del looked away and swore under his breath.

"She was planning on getting an elf out by the name of Vardes. But they-"

"Already got to him," Del finished the sentence for me. "I've only been interested in getting children out of here, but Atusa insisted we get Vardes out."

"What is so important about that elf?" the Red Prince inquired.

"There's a camp in the Hollowed Marshes. It's occupied by a group calling themselves the Seekers. They wanted to rescue Vardes above everyone else here. They never said why."

"Who are these Seekers?" I asked. "Are they rebels who fight the Divine Order?"

"I'm not aware of their true intentions. They offered sanctuary to escapees other than children. I, and a handful of others here, were able to smuggle the small children off the island to passing ships."

"And how exactly did you get the children out of the fort?" I asked.

"There's a boat docked in a peer under the fort."

Del got up from the chair and pulled out a map from the nearby bag on the table. He laid it out and marked a path on the map with an inked quill.

"Follow this path and you'll find the dock. Two associates of mine run it. Tell them Madam Zoor sent you, and they'll let you pass."

I raised my brow.

"Why the name Madam Zoor? Who is she?"

"She's the headmistress of the orphanage we smuggle the children to in the far north. I can think of no nobler soul in all the realm."

I turned my gaze over to the children. Perhaps this orphanage could be the place where they could be safe once we escaped the island.

"Thank you for your help, Del. We deeply appreciate it," I bowed my head to him. "What'll you do now?"

"Don't you worry about me. You've given me a second life. I won't soon squander it. Or forget what you've done."

He bowed his head.

"Thank you, and good luck."

He walked out of the room and proceeded down a corridor opposite of the stairs to the next level.

"This Seeker camp seems to be our best bet," I said to the others. I took the map from the table and held it for the others to see.

"A straight shot to the dock," Ifan said. "We should head there right away. Not long before patrols will notice our handywork here."

"Right after I get myself a proper weapon," the Red Prince went out to the hall. He quickly replaced his former weapons with the sword and shield of one of the dead magisters. Ifan did the same with the crossbow of the magister Sebille killed. Sebille replaced one of her knives with one of the magisters' daggers.

"Alright everyone," Ifan said. "Follow me and keep low."

Ifan crept up the steps first followed by the Red Prince, Sebille and I with the children bringing up the rear. We followed the directions of the map. Turning corners and opening doors. We came to a flight of steps leading to the hallway that lead straight to the dock where the boat was held. Ifan went first. He peeked his head over the top of steps. He ducked his head almost immediately. The children gasped from Ifan's jerk and I along with the Red Prince and Sebille put a hand on our weapons. But Ifan motioned us to stand down when he peaked again. Then he stood up and walked over to the wall of the hallway. We each went up to top of the steps to see what Ifan was looking at.

Standing there with its back against the wall was a human man draped in a blood red robe. But that wasn't the unsettling part. That part was the man was completely oblivious to our presence. He only stood there, slightly swaying left and right like a puppet with the strings cut. His eyes, lips and the silhouette around both were completely black. Like his face was a mask hiding something underneath. Only it was his true face we saw.

Ifan looked into the man's eyes, then waved his hand in front them, as if to find something, anything that resembled a sentient being in them. But even from where I stood, I could tell this creature was not a living being. It was a husk. An empty being. A soulless vessel.

It was then that I looked down the hallway to find even more people of all species wearing the same blood red robes. All standing still and silent. My mind was a mixture of disgust, awe and horror.

Ifan turned back to the rest of us. His face displayed a feeling of anguish and defeat.

"I thought I'd seen the worst that life can offer," Ifan paused and glanced back at the man. "I was wrong."

"W-what's wrong with him?" Trice asked nervously. Her voice snapped me out of my horror filled trance. I knelled and averted the rest of the children's eyes.

"This is the handiwork of the Divine Order," Ifan answered the question. "I don't know what happened, but this man used to be a Sourcerer."

I was scared. More than I ever was since the moment the Magisters surrounded me on the streets and took me away. I started to crave the sounds and smells of the Empire. I wanted to plant my feet into the ground and let the sun cleanse all the horrible feelings I had. To be welcomed back into the arms of my parents and Brell.

"W-we…we need to get out of here right now!"

I started down the hallway first. The others followed. We passed several more of these husks before we arrived at an opening. Down a flight of steps was a waterway and, along with it, a rowboat docked on a wooden peer.

On the peer were two magisters; Del's associates I assumed. But they were holding a human boy by the arms. I could hear some bickering between them. I immediately sprang forward. The two magisters turned their heads. They noticed me and let go of the boy.

"What the flying hell…?" one of the Magisters looked over at his partner. "Carin, you said this way was clear!"

"Th..that's what the log said!" the other Magister said. "No-one's authorized to be here!"

"Well, the log was wrong, you idiot! I hope for your sake no-one will miss them."

I quickly put on my persona.

"Relax," I firmly said. "Madam Zoor sent us."

The first Magister cocked his head. He showed surprise in his eyes.

"That so?" he said. "Tell me: what would a lizardkin know about Zoor?"

I remembered what Del had said about Zoor.

"That there's no nobler soul in all the realm," I said.

The magister pursed his lips together. I could tell he was convinced.

"That she surely is. That she surely is…"

The other Magister spoke. "So, are you here to take this run?"

I continued my act.

"Yes," I said. "Yes, we are."

"Well the kid'll have to go with you. He's a little troublemaker, so be ready."

I nodded my head.

"Alright, come on Carin. We have guard duty coming up. At least we won't be late this time."

Both Magisters walked past us and disappeared into the hallway. I stowed away my persona and approached the new boy. He stared up at me. He didn't show fear but rather caution.

"Who are you?" he asked.

I didn't need a persona to convince him of anything.

"My name is Mahilia," I introduced myself. "Are you one of the children Magister Del has been smuggling out of Fort Joy?"

"No," the boy said. "I came in to help someone escape and got nabbed before I could sneak back out."

_Helping someone escape?_

"Were you looking for Vardas?"

The boy's eyes widened with surprise.

"Y-yes. He was close to some people I know. I was too late though."

"Does that mean you're one of the Seekers?"

"Yes. My name is Han and I know where the camp is. I can take you there if you want. Just jump in the boat and I'll take the oars."

I felt relieved by the notion. We were going to get out of this fort and the horrors that it had within it's walls. I looked back at the others and they showed they were ready to get out too.

"We're ready to leave. Lead the way Han."

Han nodded and ran over to the boat. We walked onto the peer as Han checked the boat over.

"We should have enough room for all of us," he said.

I nodded. I told the children to get on first. One by one, Trice, Paulie and Sandy joined Han and sat in the bow of the ship. Next was-

"Stop right there!"

All of us drew our weapons and turned to the one who shouted. In the archway were a dozen magisters along with two hounds who barked and snarled in our direction. Source hounds. Dogs who were trained to track down those with the scent of source. The same kind that tracked me down when I was captured.

"You're outnumbered," the Magister in front told us. "Drop your weapons and surrender now!"

We all exchanged glances with each other. I could tell we had the same thought. If we surrendered now, we'd face the same fate as the husks we had seen or even worse like Vardes. We couldn't give up now. But the odds were stacked against us and there wouldn't be a diplomatic way to get out of this one. What were we going to do?

"My word Commander, what's going on here?"

The magisters suddenly stepped aside to let a more white than red magister through.

"High Judge Orivand?" the Magister Commander showed surprise but bowed his head. "What are you doing down here?"

"Oh, I'm just stretching my legs," the Judge said. "It can get rather tedious performing my duties in the chapel for hours on end."

He looked over at us.

"What do we have here, Commander?" he asked.

"We caught these escapees just now, your excellence. I suspect there are traitors in our ranks that lead them here."

"I suppose so," the Judge said. "We'll deal with that issue in time. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have a word with these misguided souls. Hopefully we can avoid any unnecessary bloodshed."

The Magister was baffled by the Judge's request.

"Y-yes, sir," the Magister said. He signaled the Magisters behind him to stand down. They all did so.

"Thank you, Commander," the Judge said. He walked out of the formation of Magisters down the steps toward us. He stood at the beginning of the peer, right where the stone met the wood. He was an older magister, almost the age of Dallis, from my observations of human age.

"There's no need for violence," he said in a calm voice. "Let me explain everything."

One by one, we relaxed our stance just enough to appear to be none threatening. The judge nodded his head in thanks.

"Tell me, what have you heard of our good work here? Not much?"

None of us replied to him.

"Well, allow me to educate you about our work," he said. "The world is no longer safe. With sourceres running free, the Voidwoken come to terrorize all that inhabit the world of Rivillon."

He then pulled out something from his robes. He held it out for us to see. It was a wand of some sort.

"The Divine Order has found a solution for that. A technology lost to the time of Braccus Rex and brought back by Dallis herself. A cure for source. A way to save us all from the Voidwoken."

I could feel the build up to the revelation he was about to give. I had seen all the pieces to the puzzle and already put them together in my mind. What it showed was disgusting and horrid. I started to feel something inside of me. It was… rage. Burning and growing from my heart to my whole chest. I strode past the Red Prince and Sebille and stood in the open right in front of the judge. I looked directly in his eyes. No persona, only my true self presenting my raw emotions to him.

"Are you telling me you've used that wand to pull the source out of sourcerers and turned them into those lifeless husks?!"

The judge payed no real attention to my emotions and only pursed his lips and looked down at the wand.

"I know it's quite hard for you to fathom. But you must understand. The realm will be destroyed if you were to be left unchecked. The sourcerers here have sacrificed their source. Some would say the spark of life within them too. But they have all done so in the name of us all. The humans, the elves, the dwarves and even your own kin. They are all heroes. And you could be that too. You can save everyone else in Rivillon. Only if you make the sacrifice for the greater good."

There was a word that humans had to describe their state of being. Humanity. It could be described as the human term for morality, tenacity, spirit and sentience all put together. This man standing before me; he had none of that. What he was saying, of taking people of all races by force and taking away their souls to become husks that were neither dead nor living, it was… inhumane.

I tightened my fingers into fists. I squeezed them tighter and narrowed my eyes displaying. I felt a burning sensation inside my belly. It grew hotter and hotter like a fire. I closed my eyes.

"Whatever happens. However it happens. Either by the voidwoken or even from the might of the Ancient Empire…"

I opened my eyes and looked at the Judge. The fire that burned in my belly reached the back of my throat. I started to raise my voice…

"This order will…"

…until I screamed.

"BUUUUURRRR-"

What happened next, I didn't know for sure. The only things I remembered was a torrent of flames erupting and engulfing the peer and the judge before the world around me suddenly faded to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun, dun, duuuuuuuun…
> 
> Thanks again for reading my story. If you feel it deserves it, please feel free to share your thoughts, feelings and opinions about this chapter or the story in general with a review. Hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next chapter.


	11. Chapter 11

I opened my eyes to see the sun through a canopy of rustling branches of trees. I mumbled when I felt my head ache. I clumsily moved my arms around, trying to get my bearings. It was then I heard a voice, muffled at first but it became clear.

“…awake! She’s awake”

I recognized it was Trice. My eyes focused on the silhouette of her sitting next to me. I then saw two more figures come into focus. When my eyes worked properly, I saw it was Paulie and Sandy who sat down next to Trice.

“Are you okay, Mahilia?” Paulie asked.

“Y-yes,” I said. “I-”

My mind raced trying to figure out what happened. I looked down to see I was on a bedroll. I heard the crashing of waves to my side. I looked to see the shore behind the trees the sun blead through.

“What happened?” I asked.

The children answered with excitement.

“You breathed fire!” they said.

 I couldn’t have heard that right. “I-I did what?”

“You breathed fire like a dragon,” Sandy said. “You set the judge and the room on fire.”

I didn’t know what to say.

“I…didn’t know I could do that,” I said. “But what happened after that? I don’t remember anything else.”

“You passed out and the Red Lizard carried you onto the boat and we escaped,” Paulie said.

I was surprised to hear it was the Red Prince who carried me. Though it would make sense since he was the strongest and lizards were heavier than humans and elves.

“And then Han brought us here and we’ve been waiting for you to wake up,” Trice finished the story.

It didn’t seem a lot has happened since I passed out. I looked up at the canopy in the trees. It was then that the realizations hit me. We were out of fort joy. We succeeded. The first step was done. Now we needed to find a way off the island next. But even with that problem still lingering in the background, the feeling I had for escaping the horrid hallways of the fort and being greeted with a beautiful scene of the sun gave me enough relief and motivation to want to keep going without having to force myself through it. It filled me with enough energy to move my body and stand up.

“Well, I suppose it’s time we move on now that I’m awake,” I said with a smile. The children smiled back. They were genuinely happy to see me in a good mood. “Where are the others?”

“They’re over there,” Sandy pointed inland where the sand slowly merged into the dirt. I could see four figures huddled together talking to each other. I walked out of the line of trees towards them. Sebille was the one whose eyes locked onto me.

“Well, look who’s up and about,” She said. Ifan, the Red Prince and Han turned their heads. Their reactions were as expected. Ifan and Han were happy to see me up whereas the Red Prince settled with a glad feeling.

“Well, you certainly seem to be feeling better,” the Red Prince said.

“Much better after realizing I can breathe fire,” I said. They looked at each other with the same awe as I had.

“Quite a feat indeed,” Ifan said. “You didn’t know you could do that before?”

“No,” I said. “Even with all my studies, I don’t recall ever reading about Lizards who could breathe fire like that.”

“It’s a rare talent that only a select few lizards have,” the Red Prince said. Everyone looked over at him.

“How do you know?” Sebille said.

“Because you’re looking at the only other lizard I know of who can do that too.”

Everyone’s eyes widened at the Prince’s statement. I was immediately filled with questions.

“But before you ask any questions, I too don’t know why I’m able to do it. I only remember unleashing flames during one of my training sessions when I was younger.”

“And did you pass out the first time you did it?” I asked.

“Not entirely,” he replied. “I did become lightheaded, but I recovered to resume my training. I suspect it was your rage that caused you to exert all your energy back there.”

It made sense. I remember the burning anger I had and how I brought it all out when I screamed. Perhaps if I were to do it again and not pass out in the process, I should keep my emotions in balance so I wouldn’t exert everything from my body.

“Perhaps you could teach me when we get the chance,” I said.

“I suppose I could,” the Red Prince said while looking at his fingers. “But for now, I suggest we look for the camp for a more permanent refuge.”

“Right you are,” Ifan said. “But first, we need to take the little detour I talked to you about.”

Ifan must have talked to Sebille, the Red Prince and Han about the delivery he needed to pick up.

“Is it along the way to the camp?” I asked Ifan.

“Just need to go left in a fork in the road up ahead. Once I pick up what I need, we just retrace our steps and go to the right in the fork.”

I grinned. Everything seemed to be going well and I felt I genuine feeling of positivity that I wanted to keep up.

“Well, we shouldn’t waste any more time now, should we?” I said.

Ifan grinned, probably as a result of my chipper attitude rubbing off on him.

“Not at all,” Ifan said. “Right this way.”

He started first up the beach to the dirt path that lead into the forest inland. When the sand had changed to dirt, I could feel a liberating feeling from the trees. The cool feeling of the evening air along with the scent of the alpine was so foreign but also inviting. It was an amazing feeling when I put aside my worries of wanting to return to the safety of the Empire. I embraced this moment for myself. It would be one of the small moments that would make a big difference in the journey I still needed to make.

We came to the fork in the road Ifan talked about. We went to the left. I started making a mental note of our path just in case the road lead to many more turns. But thankful we didn’t encounter any more of those. We made it to a small clearing in the trees overlooking a small cliff. We looked and in the distance beyond the trees, we could see Fort Joy itself. It did give me some worry seeing it somewhat close, but it wasn’t enough to sour the optimism I still had.

Near the edge of a cliff was a most peculiar sight. There was a lone figure in a dark hood standing in front of a trader’s wagon. The figure looked to be a human man from the size and dimensions, but I couldn’t make out his face from where I stood. His wagon was littered with several barrels and crates along with an assortment of weapons and pieces of junk littered around.

The figure exuded an aura of restricted menace when he sensed us approach. But when Ifan stepped forward, his demeanor changed. He expressed a sense of recognition.

“Ah…” his voice was deep but ominous, like lingering smoke drifting in still air. “Ifan ben-Mezd, I presume?”

Ifan, showing a professional demeanor, nodded importantly.

“I am a friend. You can call me Zaleskar.”

It was then that he pulled back his hood. The children, except for Han, gasped. Zaleskar was an undead. His face was a bare skull and his hands were nothing but the small bones clanking together with no skin or tissue to speak of. The presence of this undead wasn’t scary, but rather, foreboding. Like a certain feeling between a living atmosphere and a dead one.

“I was told you have something for me,” Ifan said, seemingly unphased by the revelation. He brought out the Magister Crossbow and presented it to Zaleskar. “Something a little more reliable.”

Zaleskar took the standard crossbow with his bony hands.

“Yes. Indeed, I do,” he said. He deposited the item into an open barrel full of junk and started rummaging through his cart.

“Quite a task to assassinate the head of the Divine Order. But under the circumstances, it is easier to corner Alexander out here than it is in the cities of the living.”

He then found Ifan’s package. It was another crossbow, only it was more elaborate and of better craftsmanship. He presented the weapon to him.

“This delicious morsel called Shadow’s Eye should help you send him to his rightful place beside his father in the Hall of Echoes.”

Ifan took a hold of the crossbow. Zaleskar graciously backed away and gave a curt nod. Ifan nodded in thanks. He walked back over to us. As Ifan inspected the new crossbow, Zaleskar packed his wagon up. When he finished, the undead lifted the front of the cart and pulled it along the road in the opposite direction from where we came.

With his inspections complete, Ifan nocked the crossbow with an arrow and aimed down the sights. From the smile on his face, he seemed rather satisfied by the feel of his new weapon. But he then raised an eyebrow and looked over at me. He held out his new weapon to me.

"Care to fire the first arrow from Shadow's Eye?"

I was caught a little off guard by the question. It almost felt flattery being asked that.

“I…suppose so,” I took the crossbow in my hand. It was heavier than I had expected. Having only held wands and never weapons of physical nature, it was a little jarring. But I got used to it and found my balance. I put the stock into my shoulder and curled my neck to put my eye down the sight. I took aim at a distant tree down the cliff. I exhaled and pulled the trigger. The arrow launched and whistled through the air. It staked into the tree with a resounding thud.

“Wooooooow!” the children said in awe.

Ifan whistled a matching tune of the arrow. He gave me an admiring glance. It felt rather awkward having nothing to say in the moment. I tried to come up with something when I handed him the crossbow back.

I managed to say, “I guess it works just fine.”

“I suppose it does,” he said with a smile.

“Are you two quite done?” the Red Prince said behind us. “It might be wise to find refuge before nightfall.”

The realization snapped me out of the moment. The Red Prince was right. We still needed to get to the Seeker’s camp, and it was getting late indeed. Ifan holstered the crossbow over his shoulder and patted me on the arm. He walked over to Han.

“Lead the way, navigator,” he said. Han nodded and started down the path where we came from. I followed behind with the children in tow. We came to the same fork and proceeded up the right this time. As we traversed the path, the land gave way to the swamplands. The waters saturated the ground, making where we stepped mushy.  

“Oh dear,” the Red Prince said. “This is going to be cumbersome to clean off.”

“Must you make a production over everything?” Sebille asked.

“It isn’t proper for royalty to be this uncleanly,” the Red Prince said.

Ifan walked next to me. He leaned in and whispered. “He doesn’t get out much, does he?”

I softly chucked. “It’s one of the downsides of being royalty in the House of War. In fact, he led all of his armies without even leaving the comfort of his own palace.”

Ifan sorted and started to laugh.

“What are you laughing about back there?!” the Red Prince looked back at us. We whipped the amusement off our faces.

“Nothing,” I said, playing innocent. I could tell the Red Prince didn’t believe us, but he only turned back to navigating the swamp after Han. I shot Ifan one last grin and smiled at the children who did their best to contain their giggles.

The trek through the marshes took some time and the light was beginning to fade. If we didn’t arrive at the camp soon, I felt we would encounter more danger than what lurked in the marshes now.

I called out to Han.

“How much fur-”

BOOM!

We all ducked. The sound came from a distance behind a row of trees we were passing.

“What was that?” Trice said cradled up with Paulie and Sandy. I could feel the uneasiness in her voice.

“I don’t know,” I said. I looked up at the line of trees where the sound was coming from. I gestured to the children to stay where they were. I crypt up to the trees and found a break in the branches to look through them.

There was a clearing in the marsh where the evening sky was clear. Standing in the middle atop a boulder was a human woman. I couldn’t see her face, but she shouted up to the sky.

“My Lord! I beg you! Make me whole!”

She traced glyphs in the air. But whatever spell she tried to cast only resulted in a boom of smoke. She screamed in frustration and shouted at the sky again.

"My Lord! It is I, Windigo! I have loved you! What is my sin? How long must I suffer?!"

 

There was an uncomfortable silence that followed as she looked at the ground. But my body jolted when, without warning, she turned her head around in my direction. Even with the trees obscuring my body, it was like she was looking directly at me. She made one more move before I realized what was coming.

 

“GET DOWN!”

I dived away and landed on top of the children as the tree was blown to pieces. I felt a shower of splinters pelt the back of my clothing and the exposed scales of my neck and arms. My ears ringed as I opened my eyes to inspect the children for injuries. They looked shaken, but not hurt. It was a relief but a short lived one. I saw Ifan, Han and the Red Prince were on their backs. They sat themselves up but stopped when they looked up to where the tree was before it was blown apart. I looked and I too froze.

The woman was standing there with her haggard face and blazing eyes looking straight at me. It was then I realized who she was. The woman who started everything.

“You!” the woman, Windigo, said in possessive anger at me. “You are my sin!”

Was she referring to her failed attempt to kill us on the ship the night before? I couldn’t ask as she continued to ramble on.

“My master has condemned your kind,” she said. “I smell the stench of your guilt with every Gods-damned breath you take!”

She looked up at the heavens again. She brought her hands up, as if presenting a gift to a shrine to one of the gods. Only the offering was me.

"I offer this sacrifice to you,” she shouted, as if reciting a ritual. “Return me to your side. Make me wh-!"

 

Before she could finish, she croaked in pain. It was then that I saw Sebille standing right behind Windigo with one of her knives put into the back of the crazed woman. Sebille followed it up putting her second knife into Windigo’s throat. But instead of blood pouring out of her neck and her body going limp, Windigo’s eyes only glowed emerald green. She opened her mouth and let out a scream that no ordinary human could possibly make. Windigo took Sebille’s arm holding the knife in her throat and pulled both the knife and arm away. She then pulled her other arm to her chest and swung it behind her. Her fist hit Sebille square in the chest, launching her back. Sebille landed onto a soft mound of mud cushioning her landing.

 

I scampered to my feet and grabbed the children. I saw a small ditch and ran toward it. When I took a glance back, I saw Windigo had pulled Sebille’s knife out of her back. Again, no blood poured out of her or coated the knife when she tossed it aside. I quickly dropped the children into the ditch and said, “Stay here!” before I turned back and readied my wand. Wendigo looked right at me; no doubt anticipated my next move. But she sharply turned her gaze away to see an arrow that Ifan fired coming at her. Unlike her trick to deflect the Magister’s bolts on the ship the previous night, she couldn’t deflect Ifan’s arrow in time. She raised her arm and the arrow staked right between her hand and elbow.

 

She screeched with pain. But she shrugged it off to notice the Red Prince charging at her with his sword and shield drawn. She pulled her unhurt hand back and fire started to emanate from it. The Red Prince saw this and stopped to bring up his shield. Windigo launched a fireball and it landed square onto the prince’s shield. The shield caught most of the blast, causing the Red Prince to adjust his stance from the blast.

 

I realized it was my chance. I reared my hand back and recited the spell. I swung my hand forward and lightning shot from my wand landing square into Windigo’s chest. She was stunned from the electricity that surged through her body. It lasted long enough for Ifan to launch another arrow. It landed right into Windigo’s eye. She screeched another unearthly scream. She reached up and held the arrow.

 

Before she could do anything else, she gasped again. The Red Prince was standing before her and his sword was put straight through her chest. He peered into her eye, like a dualist expecting to see the life from their opponent slowly drain. Only the life didn’t drain from her remaining eye. Instead, her lips curled into a sadistic grin. She started to laugh. She brought her hand to the hilt of his sword and forced it deeper into her chest. She laughed harder, as if mocking her opponent.

 

The Red Prince hastily pulled the sword out and swung it horizontally. Her laughing abruptly stopped when her head was cleaved clean off her shoulders. But before her head landed into mud, her body and head glowed green before both violently dissolved into a green fog that disappeared into the air.

 

The Red Prince sheathed his sword and holstered his shield. I walked over to the ditch. All three children were accounted for. I held out my hand and they all came out. I lead them to where the Red Prince stood with Ifan and Han following suit. Sebille had gotten up, covered in the mud she landed in. She held her chest and winced in pain. She picked up her dagger Windigo had thrown aside.

 

“Are you okay?” I asked her. She looked over at me still wincing.

 

“It’s nothing serious,” Sebille panted. “I just need to walk it off.”

 

I could tell it was more serious than she was letting on. But I knew she wouldn’t let me near her if I wanted to offer to heal her.

 

“What was her Master she was talking about?” Sandy asked the group. We looked at each other and pondered. I thought about our situation. She wasn’t part of the Divine Order. Her handywork aboard the prison ship was proof of that.

 

“It could be the House of Shadows,” the Red Prince said.

 

“It can’t be that,” Ifan said. “Did you listen to what she said? She wasn’t interested in a reward for our corpses. She was serving someone. Someone who’s keeping her alive.”

 

“I slew her right here!” The Red Prince exclaimed. “Did you not see me take her head off?”

 

“She was undead,” Ifan said. “She didn’t bleed at all. And that laugh… I think we should all know what a laugh like that means.”

 

“That she’s going to see us again,” I said with haunting realization.

 

“But that doesn’t explain who her master is,” Sebille said.

 

“All we know for sure is we’ve got another faction hunting us. We’re going to need to tread lightly from here on,” Ifan said.

 

This was getting out of hand for me. The positivity I had when I woke up was suddenly gone and the worries returned in addition to new ones. First it was the Divine Order who wanted to suck the source out of us. Next it was the House of Shadows who wanted the Red Prince dead. And now we had a third faction who sent that haggard woman to kill us. I began to feel that simply going home to the Empire wasn’t going to solve these problems right away. But I didn’t want to be a part of any of this.

 

“Well regardless,” I said. “We need to get to the camp before it gets any darker.”

I looked over at Han.

“How much further?” I asked him.

“Not far,” Han pointed down the path. “Just around that bend and up the hill.”

My body felt just enough relief.

“Lead the way,” I said to Han. He nodded. He walked down the path followed by Ifan and the Red Prince. Sebille walked next still with her hand clenching her chest. Before I could offer to help her, she held out her hand. She didn’t want my help. I looked down at the children and they gave a look of uneasiness but also determination. They weren’t going to give up. And neither should I. I took their hands and I lead them behind the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m feeling great about the progress I’m making with this. I’ll be able to get these chapters out faster if you keep giving me feedback and tell me what is working and what still needs to be worked on. Thank you so much for reading and feel free to leave a review to tell me what you think. I’ll get the next chapter up as soon as possible. See you soon.


	12. Chapter 12

We emerged from the wet grounds onto dryer land. We found ourselves at a cliff wall. It seemed like a dead end. But of course, that’s what people in a hidden camp wanted you to think. Han walked over to the rock wall and ran his fingers over it. He then took hold of one of the mossy areas. He pulled and removed a part of the rock wall to reveal a rope hanging inside. He gave it a firm two tugs. At the top of the cliff, we heard a bell ring.

Shortly after, a lavender female lizard appeared at the top with her eye aiming down the shaft of a crossbow. But she lowered her weapon when her eyes widened with surprise.

“Han? Is that you?” she called out.

“Hi Bahara!” Han called up. “These people escaped Fort Joy and helped me out. We should let them in.”

“Indeed,” the lizard, Bahara, said. She then threw down a tangled mess of vines. The vines reached the bottom of the cliffside ready to be climbed. “Come, ascend to the sanctuary of Amadia. The Great Mother provides for all.”

Amadia? The Mother of all Magic? Amadia was the outsider of the Seven Gods. Unlike the other six who represented the races of Humans, Lizards, Dwarves, Elves, Imps and Orcs respectively, Amadia was not of a singular race. Instead, her contribution was that of magic. Legend says after the 6 races spread across the lands, one day Amadia had a dalliance with a wizard. As a result, she gave birth to several demigods. She then granted her lover immortality and decided that she would act as the patron mother of all wizards.

One by one we climbed the vines. Bahara then nodded and led us into the hole in the cliffside. We emerged to the other side to find the Seeker camp. The mountainside was carved into a ring with the top cleared to see the sky. As we entered the camp, we drew the eyes of several of the residence. They were a mixture of all four species. Some lay on bedrolls, moaning in pain, while others curled their bodies into balls while others comforted them.

When Bahara brought us to the other side of the camp, I saw why this was called the Sanctuary of Amadia. Embedded into the cliff wall was a sculpture of Amadia’s face. The mouth was submerged in a pond while water ran down her checks from her eyes. When I looked at Amadia’s face, I could see the traits she was known for. She had the face of a human with an expression that looked sad but at the same time loving. She defiantly had the expression of a true mother.

On a protruding rock in the middle of the pond, there stood a figure wrapped in a cloth. It was a she from the voice that hummed a soft tune as she held her hands up to the statue.

At the tent Bahara led us to, a human man in gold-colored armor with an eye patch on his right eye looked down at a map on a wooden table. At his side was a younger human man in armor. Most likely his protégé. He looked up as we approached.

“Pardon me, Sir Gareth,” Bahara said. “We have new arrivals who managed to help our little infiltrator back.”

Gareth looked over at Han and then the rest of us. His face was a mixture of surprise and a dash of hope. He walked out from behind the table.

“Han,” he said gently rubbing the boy’s head. “Thank Lucian you’ve come back. We were so worried.”

“I wouldn’t have made it back if it wasn’t for these people,” Han said.

He looked over at the seven of us. He stood up and gave us a bow.

“Welcome, friends,” he said. “No doubt you’ve overcome many obstacles to escape Fort Joy and find your way here.”

I briefly thought back to those obstacles. I found myself stunned at how I was able to make it this far.

“We most certainly did,” I said. “It’s a long story.”

Gareth looked at the setting sun between the crevices of the mountainside.

“Well, you can most certainly tell us of it now that you’re here. Dinner is about ready.”

The bread in our stomachs had long been used up. My nostrils caught the scent of roasting meat and simmering stew in pots nearby. It caused my stomach to growl loud enough for the others to hear. I gave an embarrassed laugh as the others did the same.

“Don’t worry, all of our aching bellies will be satisfied,” Gareth said. “But first, how’s about we take care of the more immediate issue?”

Gareth brought his hand to his neck. Seeing him do that made me realize I had payed no real mind to my source collar since the beginning of the day. But thinking about it now made me realize how uncomfortable it still felt.

“Right this way,” he led us to one of the other tents. There, working on pieces of amour and weapons, was a human blacksmith with a blond beard. He looked up to see Gareth approach.

“May I ask you to give our newly arrived guests a proper welcome, Kerban?” Gareth said.

“Of course,” Kerban said and nodded his head. He reached behind the workbench and brought out a stool and put it under one of the hanging lanterns. As Kerban rummaged through his boxes looking for tools, Gareth nodded his head to us.

“Meet me at the campfire when you’re finished.”

He walked away leaving us with the blacksmith. Kerban pulled out a small repair hammer as well as some small tools. He walked over to the stool.

“Please, take a seat and I’ll pop your collars off.”

I was about to insist the children to go first but they said my name before I could say anything.

“Okay, just take a seat and we’ll begin, Mahalia,” Kerban said.

I swung my tail over the stool and sat down. Kerban adjusted the lantern to allow him to see better. He leaned in and nudged the small tool into the lock mechanism and gently tapped it with the hammer. He did it again to the right side of the lock then again on the left. Then, with a gentle tug, the collar popped right off. The now harmless piece of metal fell and thudded onto the ground. I gasped a breath through my unrestricted throat, a feeling I felt so thankful for.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Of course,” Kerban said. “Feel free to clean yourself up with a bucket of water and take a fresh batch of clothing.”

I nodded my head and stood up. I watched as the Red Prince rushed forward to be next before the children could have a chance. I was about to protest, but I figured it wasn’t worth it. I went over to the nearest tent where fresh clothing was set and found a set of Lizard robes.

_Perfect_

I took it and made my way to the pod. I found the bucket at the edge. I dipped the bucket into the pool and brought it with me behind a nearby boulder. I stripped away the mud-covered leather armor and dipped my hands into the bucket. I splashed the water over the dirty spots on my legs and arms before I grabbed the whole bucket and drenched my whole body. After I let myself dry for a minute, I methodically put the pieces of my mage robes on one at a time. When I finished, I felt the closest to home I had ever felt since I had left.  

I emerged from the boulder to find the Red Prince waiting. I handed him the bucket and he filled it for his turn. I went over to watch the children get their collars off. One by one, their collars were removed. It gave me so much relief to see them free. On our way to the pond, Trice said that I looked pretty in my new robes. I thanked her for it.

The Red Prince had finished cleaning himself and changing into what I believed he found to be… acceptable. He gave me the bucket and I filled it. One by one, the children cleaned themselves and changed into their new cloths behind the boulder. Sebille and Ifan got their collars off and cleaned and changed themselves too. The sun had completely set when we had finished. All of us arrived at the nearest fire and sat around it.

Gareth retrieved some bowls and filled them with stew for each of us. Unlike the turnip stew on the prison ship, this stew was laced with a mixture of vegetables and spices along with chunks of roasted meat. Rabbit? I couldn’t tell for sure. I dipped my spoon into the stew and blew to cool it. I deposited it into my mouth. The taste was magnificent. The first gourmet meal I’ve had in days. My stomach accepted it graciously. I repeated the process again and again until my stomach was comfortable to pace myself. Gareth sat at the other side of the fire from me and he laughed at our acceptance of the food.

“Feels nice to have a decent meal, doesn’t it?” Gareth said with a grin.

“Oh, you have no idea,” the Red Prince spoke, sounding so delicate. We all shot looks at each other in amusement.

“So, tell me, how did you manage to find us?” he leaned forward, anticipating the story that would follow.

As we ate, I was the one who told the story. I recalled the escape from the ship leading to my miraculous survival washing up on the shore of the island. Then, I told him of how I met each of the others and how we helped Sahelia’s friend who showed us the way out of the fort. We had finished our meals when I told him about Atusa, Vardus, Del, the sourcerers converted to what Gareth and the Seekers called silent monks and the moment I breathed fire onto the High Judge.

“May I ask why was this Vardus so important to you?” the Red Prince asked Gareth.

Gareth looked around at all of us, pondering what he was going to say next.

“We believed he was Godwoken.”

_Godwoken_

“With Lucian gone, there needs to be a new champion of the gods to push back the void.”

“And you believed Vardus was Godwoken?” Sebille asked.

“Yes,” Gareth said. “But we were too late for him. Now we are stranded here on this island.”

He looked over at the wounded camp members at the adjacent campfires. His voice turned soar.

“Many of us were dead in a blink of an eye when we arrived.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“Dallis,” he said. “She sailed in on the Lady Vengeance. She had horrors at her side. Shriekers. Twisted creatures that were once sourcerers. Now they are living weapons. With only a look, they can liquefy any living being that gets too close.”

As if the silent monks weren’t the most horrid things I’d seen the Divine Order create. Now there were these shriekers.

“With our own boat destroyed, the only way off this island is the seaport on the other side of the marshes to the north. The problem is, shriekers guard the harbor. We’d be walking into a death trap.”

“Is there another way?” I asked.

“To get off the island? No. But I did have a plan to deal with the shriekers earlier today.”

“You had a plan?” Sebille asked.

“Gratiana, the shaman of this sanctuary,” he looked back at the statue where the soft candlelight illuminated the presence of the Shaman still preying to Amadia. “She told me there is a technology here that could be able to destroy the shriekers. A purging wand.”

The realization hit me.

“You mean the same tool the magisters are using to turn sourcerers into silent monks?” I asked.

“Yes. But if a purging wand is used against a shrieker, it’ll destroy them. If we had at least one wand, we’d be able to purge every shrieker that got in our way. After that, we’d be able get on the rowboats and take over the Lady Vengeance docked in the harbor.”

“But you didn’t find one yet?” I asked.

“No,” Gareth dipped his head. “The ruins of an armory I went to was picked clean by the magisters. I barely escaped a magister ambush with my life. Our options are running low to try to find one of those wands.”

There was a silence between the eight of us. The situation played in my head. We were still stuck on the island and the only way we knew of to escape was blocked by horrors who could kill anyone with just a look. Gareth looked up at the stars.

“Perhaps it’s not a good time to dwell on our predicament right now,” Gareth said. “You all should get some rest. We’ll discuss what we’ll do in the morning.”

I looked over at the children and I saw they were yawning. It certainly was a long day for them. They needed their rest.

“Indeed,” I said and nodded my head. “Thank you for your hospitality, Gareth.”

“Of course,” he said and stood up to collect our empty bowls. “It’s the least we could do for saving our littlest helper.”

He put the bowls down on a table and went over to a supply pile. He rummaged through to find some bed rolls. He put them out in a vacant tent. He bowed and then returned to his own tent. The seven of us walked over to the tent. The children shared a single roll since they were small enough. I took a nearby blanket and tucked them in.

“Goodnight Trice, Paulie and Sandy,” I said. “You’re safe now. Sleep tight and dream good dreams.”

“We’ll do our best for you, Mahalia,” Trice said. The boys nodded in agreement. I smiled and gave each of them a gentle kiss on their foreheads. When I turned around, I saw that Sebille and the Red Prince had rolled up their own bedrolls.

“Where are you two going?” I asked.

“That lizard who let us in here, she’s the dreamer I was looking for. I need to consort with her before anything else.”

“What, are you going to sleep with her the entire night?” Sebille asked jokingly.

“No,” The Red Prince said. “But none of this is your business anyway.”

As the Red Prince walked away with is bedroll in hand, Sebille took hers and walked to a different part of the camp herself. Ifan kept his bedroll by the tent and looked over at me with a grin. I grinned back.

“Sweet dreams,” he said.

“You too,” I replied.

He laid himself onto his bedroll and I did the same. I curled my body to fit onto it. With my head on the pillow, I looked over at the children who were already fast asleep. It gave me a warm feeling that eased my body. I closed my eyes and felt my conciseness fade away. 

* * *

 

I had awoken in the middle of the night. Not from a nightmare, but rather a confusing dream. I remember vaguely the ruins of an estate at the top of a mountain on the edge of a forest. But after that, I only remember standing in the middle of a snowstorm looking up at something. I couldn’t remember what, only it filled me with awe but also sadness. Was this a vision of the future? I couldn’t be certain since I had not slept alongside a dreamer. Should I ask to have this investigated by Bahara? No. It didn’t feel relevant or life threatening. I shouldn’t wake her and bother her now.

The wakeup did jar my mind enough to make me want to take a stroll and get some fresh air. I quietly rose from my bedroll careful not to wake either Ifan or the children. I walked over to one of the tunnels in the cliff wall. I walked down it to find an opening that had a clear view of the sea and the star filled sky. I sat on the edge and took in everything. The sights, the sounds and the cool air gracing my scales and my lungs. After a while of relaxing my mind, I saw a figure standing in the corner of my eye. I looked to my right to see it was Sebille.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “Have I found your sleeping spot by accident?”

“As a matter a fact you did,” Sebille said. But before I was going to say I was going to leave her be, she said, “Couldn’t sleep?”

I stayed silent for a moment before I managed to say, “Yeah. Needed to clear my head for a minute.”

“Well…,” she said. “Same here.”

Her behavior was rather strange, awkward even.

“Mind if I sit here?” she looked over at a spot on the ledge several feet away from where I sat.

“…not at all,” I said awkwardly.

“Okay,” Sebille took her seat and looked over at the horizon. We stayed silent for a while staring at the sky.

Sebille then broke the silence.

“May I ask you a question?” she asked. I took my gaze off the horizon and put it on her.

“Of course, what?” I said.

“Did those children beg you to bring them along on your escape plan? Or was is the other way around?”

The question really caught me off guard. Not from the question itself, but the fact Sebille was asking it.

“I was the one who brought them along.”

She looked away, looking a little conflicted.

“Why did you do it?” she asked.

I brought my feet up from the edge and sat crisscross facing her. She did the same.

“Not all Lizards are monsters, Sebille,” I said. “You have to believe that.”

Sebille sighed and looked back at the horizon. It was then that I saw something on her exposed forearms. I recognized they were names that were engraved into her skin.

“Are those the names of the people the House of Shadows forced you to kill?”

I pointed to her arms. She looked down at her right arm then her left.

“The ones on my right, yes,” she said. “I don’t know why the Master wanted them dead. But once I am free, when the Master is dead, I will honor those names.”

She was on a path of both freedom and vengeance.

“And the names on your left?”

She looked to her left arm.

“They were breadcrumbs. Those I’ve tossed aside to find the Master.”

All those names gave me an unpleasant feeling. If she was so willing to kill Stingtail, were the people on her arm the same too? Victims of circumstance who got caught in the crossfire?

“Do you wear those names like trophies or in memorial like those on your right?”

She looked down at her arms again. She didn’t answer me.

“Does all that killing bother you? The ones that you’ve chosen to kill?”

She paused for a moment, contemplating her feelings.

“I honestly don’t know,” she said. “You see there's...There's triplets in my mind. The woman I am. The woman I must be. The woman I long to be. Like all sisters, they do tend to be at odds with one another. From time to precious time.”

I raised my brow.

“If that’s how you see it, who’s the one I’m talking to right now?” I asked. Sebille took her time before she replied.

“I guess it’s the one I want to be,” she said. “But the problem is that she doesn’t know what she wants to be. And I won’t be able to do that until I find the Master and I put my needle into his throat. Until then, I suppose I’m the woman I am now. A merciless killer who’ll remove any obstacle that’ll get in her way.”

We only stared at each other in silence. It was a lot for me to take in. I had nothing to say.

“Well…” I said. “I hope you can figure out what you want to be once you kill the Master of the House of Shadows.”

I stood up and began to walk back to the tunnel.

“Mahalia,” I heard her say. I turned around shocked that she called me by my name.

“Yes?” I said.

She fumbled with what she was going to say to me.

“It was… really brave of you to bring those children along. Most people wouldn’t do that.”

I found myself both surprised and thankful from what she had to say to me.

“Thank you,” I said to her. I turned around and proceeded through the tunnel back to the camp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes! I got the next chapter done in the same week. I’m still on track and I’m feeling very good about it. Once again, reviews are very appreciated. They motivate me to get these chapters out faster and better. Thank you so much for reading and I’ll see you next chapter.


	13. Chapter 13

_Kin…child of the dessert suns… come to me_

The morning sun peered through my eyelids. I opened my eyes with a squint and rubbed the sleep away from them. I looked out to see everyone else in the camp were starting to get up. I saw the children and Ifan were too.

“Good morning everyone,” I said to the children. “Did you have good dreams?”

“I did,” Sandy said. “I dreamed of you fighting the Magisters and freeing all the sourcerers.”

 “My dream was about Mahalia and Ifan fighting the voidwoken together,” Paulie said.

“Well, I dreamed Mahalia was a lovely dragon who flew across the world to help people,” Trice said.

My eyebrows shot up.

“You really think I look like a dragon, don’t you?” I said to Trice.

“Dragons are the most magical creatures in the world. They can fly and do anything they want. And the best dragons are the ones who are as nice as you.”

 “Well…” I said. “Thank you.”

I turned my head to the tents where the Seekers were preparing food. “Anyhow, breakfast looks to be ready. Let’s go eat.”

The children nodded and we all got up. We arrived at the fire just as Sebille and the Red Prince showed up. Today, we were served a single cooked potato and a small slice of leftover meat that was cooked last night.

“We apologize for the small servings,” the female dwarf cook said. “Our rations are running low.”

“It’ll be enough,” I said. Each of us dug into our meals.

“Everyone sleep well?” I asked. Mostly everyone nodded. But a nearby human Seeker spoke up.

“Not the Red fellow there,” he said. “He was having quite a nightmare when he slept with Bahara.”

I looked over at the Red Prince with surprise. I found it shocking I slept through the night without noticing something like this. Moreover, nightmares while traversing the Dreamworld could be extremely dangerous.

“What happened?” I asked him.

The Red Prince took a breath.

“There was… death in that dream. Chasing me like a hundred hungry lions.”

“Does this mean your future is wrought with more danger from the House of Shadows?” I asked.

“If you’re hoping that I saw where the House of Shadows will strike at us next, then I’m sorry to disappoint you. But I now know where I must go when we get off this island.”

“Where?” I asked.

“I need to get to the mainland off the coast. There, I need to find Brahmos the Wanderer. When I get the answers from him, I will finally know the truth. The very secret of my soul...”

The rest of us looked at him precariously.

“And what’s this secret you’re looking for?” Sebille asked.

He looked over at Sebille. I could tell there was subtle hostility between the two.

“How’s about we keep our little secrets to each other for the time being?”

Sebille snorted with amusement.

“I suppose that’s understandable,” she said. “We have our own paths to take, no real need to get involved in each other’s story.”

She looked over at Ifan.

“Even if it seems our stories are intertwined.”

Ifan looked over at the Red Prince then back at Sebille.

“It does seem that way,” Ifan said. “Though I’ll admit, with the shortage of friends in this world, I don’t believe any of us can accomplish any of our goals on our own.”

He looked over at the Red Prince.

“Alright,” the Red Prince said. “I’ll accept your assistance and assist you in return. But I still won’t tell you of my goal until it becomes relevant.”

Ifan nodded his head graciously. Sebille too seemed content for the time being. She then looked over at me.

“How about you, Mahalia? Are you going help us?”

“I…” I didn’t know what to say. All three of these people had a journey they needed to make. From our past encounters, we needed each other to get through the obstacles that barred our way. But when I looked at the bigger picture, I wasn’t involved with any of these people. They had qualms they needed to settle. The only qualm I had was to escape the island and go home.

“I don’t know if I can help,” I said. The three of them as well as the children looked at me in surprise.

“Why not?” Sebille asked. “Who’ll be our master negotiator? Who’ll patch up wounds when we get cuts and bruises? Who’ll give our foes a jolt of lightning to tell them we shouldn’t be trifled with?”

“It’s just that…” I choked on my words. “I’m not a fighter. I never wanted to be in this situation. All I want to do is go home to the Empire.”

I brought my hand up and showed them my wedding band.

“I have a family and a future husband. I can’t imagine how worried sick they are for me.”

“Well has it occurred to you that the Empire is in jeopardy from the House of Shadows?” the Red Prince said. I was surprised he wanted me to come along even after I accidentally zapped him in the back. “If you don’t help me, you might not have a family or husband to go back to.”

“Furthermore,” Sebille added in. “What about that moment when you killed the Judge swearing the Divine Order will burn?”

I recalled the moment. The anger I had. It overwhelmed me. It controlled me. It changed me into someone completely different. It horrified me remembering the thoughts I had.

“That wasn’t me,” I said. “I let my anger control me. I shouldn’t have let that happen. I’m not a bloodthirsty killer. I’m a lizard of the House of Law. It’s our job to avoid bloodshed and resolve issues peacefully.”

Ifan was the one to speak up next.

“I’m sorry to say this, but…words and diplomacy aren’t going to fix the problems we’re facing now. The Divine Order. The Voidwoken. The House of Shadows. We’re going to need your help if we’re to succeed. But we won’t force you to do anything. It’s your choice.”

Ifan’s words tore me even more. He was encouraging me to stick with them. But he also left the door open for me to go back. All this pressure was overwhelming me. So many things had come into my life in just the span of a few days. I remembered my time back at the Empire. Everything was so simple. I had no real worries other than learning what I could to pass my classes to achieve my place in society.

“I…” I tried to speak but the emotions were racing through me uncontrollably. “I need to…”

I stood up and dropped the empty plate off my lap. I walked away and wandered across the camp. I found myself at the edge of the pond. I had my head dipped looking at my reflection in the water. Was that me I was seeing? Or was that the person who killed a few people yesterday.

I looked up at the statue. It was then that I noticed that Gratiana, the shaman, was no longer on her rock in the middle making her prayers. Instead I found her standing behind me. She wore her white mask. It was shaped just like Amadia’s face. Only the eye slits didn’t show anything that resembled eyes behind it. Only dark holes.

“Amadia's blessings, child,” she gently bowed to me. When she came back up, her gaze looked deep into my eyes. Even though I could see no eyes, I could tell she was peering straight through me.

“You seem distraught,” she said. “What is it that troubles you?”

Her gentle voice had a soothing feeling. All the emotions running through me started to slow down enough for me to formulate a response.

“I’m…” I tried my best to describe my situation. “Stressed. Torn. Conflicted.”

“Please, do tell me, child,” Gratiana said.

I took a breath.

“We’re still stuck here on this island with no way out. Furthermore, if we do get off this island, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do after that. My companions want my help in their endeavors, but I have a family back home who’s worried sick about me. I also have three human children in my care who have no home to be safe in. And to top it all off, we have the Divine Order, the Voidwoken and now the House of Shadows all hunting us down. I just, don’t know what to do now.”

Gratiana took a step back and looked to the face of Amadia for a moment before she looked at me again.

“I do not have the answers to all of your endeavors,” Gratiana said. “But I may have a solution to the first step.”

She reached into her robes and pulled something from her pocket.

“Gareth had failed in acquiring the soul-forged weapons from the armory. But there is another vault on the island.”

She opened her gloved hand to show a ring.

“This will help you gain entrance to the manor of Braccus Rex without trouble.”

Hearing Braccus’s name gave me a shiver.

“The vault is inside the home of Braccus Rex?” I asked.

Gratiana nodded.

“It is a far more dangerous task to undertake. But it is far beyond the Magister's guile. If you want to escape this island and help these people, you will need to be strong to accomplish this task. Do you still have the bravery to do it?”

I took a step back and pondered. I had been through many challenges so far. I had so many burdens on my shoulders. But right at this moment, I had three children in my care and a family who wanted me back home. If I were to save them and see my family, I needed to do this. I inhaled and exhaled a heap of stress out of my body.

“Yes,” I said. “Yes, I do.”

Gratiana brought her hand up, signaling she wanted to open my own hand. I did so and put my open palm over hers. She then gently placed the ring into my hand. As soon as it touched my palm, I suddenly felt a cold dark pain shoot from my hand up my arm. I gasped and closed my hand over the ring. I tried to move but Gratiana held onto my wrist. My arm shook but it then relaxed. Gratiana then loosened her grip and let me open my hand. When I looked down at the ring, I felt something else. I felt that someone was whispering in my ear. It was telling me that I should put the ring on. I slowly felt my other hand raising up, tempted to obey the words. But when my hand was halfway up, I stopped. I forced my arm down and relaxed myself. Gratiana looked up at me with a tilt of the head.

“The cruelty of Braccus is strong,” she said. “But I feel that your will can overcome the trials that stand before you.”

Hearing her gave me the slightest bit of confidence. I felt the pain and the whisper caused by the ring slowly fade. It wasn’t gone completely, but it felt manageable like a fresh bruise on an arm. I looked down at Gratiana.

“I’ll get to the vault and find what we need.”

Gratiana nodded her head.

“See the map at Gareth’s tent. It’ll show you the route to the manor.”

I nodded. But before I could walk away, Gratiana spoke to me again.

“Before you depart. There is something more I must ask of you.”

“What is it?”

“Within the same vault are relics of great power: Soul Jars. I ask that you retrieve these jars. With them I could make an offering of them to Amadia. Her blessing could help heal many of the sick and injured here.”

I looked over at the tents filled with the Seekers in pain.

“I’ll bring back the jars along with the purging wand,” I said.

“Amadia's blessing upon your brave soul!” she graciously bowed. She then turned around and returned to the pond to continue her prayers to the goddess.

I returned to the campfire to see that the others had finished their breakfast.

“So…have you decided whether you’re going to stick around with us,” Sebille said.

“That’s still to be determined. But for the moment, I’m here to help.”

I brought up my hand and showed the ring to them.

“This’ll get us into Braccus Rex’s manor where another vault is. After we get in, we’ll pick up a purging wand and something else Gratiana wants so she can heal the sick and injured here.”

“Well, it looks like we have a plan,” Ifan said. “We’ll gear up and be ready within the hour.”

I smiled and the others nodded. We walked around the camp to prepare for the journey we were about to take. We took care of last-minute hygiene concerns, equipped improved weapons and armor and marked a new map with the route to the manor.

“Good luck, you four,” Gareth said as we were just about to head out.

“Thank you,” I said. I went over to the children and gave them all a hug. “I’ll be back soon.”

They all nodded and smiled. It gave me confidence knowing they were safe and sound here. We went through the tunnel and descended the vines. Once again, we found ourselves traversing the swamps with Ifan at the front with a copy of the map of the island. Luckily, after traversing the swamps for twenty minutes, we didn’t encounter anything dangerous or patrolling magisters. We found another hill that lead out of the swamps. We climbed it.

We then found ourselves at the entrance of the manor at the top. It was surrounded by a stone wall. The only way in from where we stood was a metal gate with a gargoyle perched on top of the doorway. When I looked through the gate, I could see an elaborate mixture of stone walls and metal fences. It looked to be a labyrinth of sorts. Hearing of the stories of Braccus, I could expect a lot of traps and unpleasant surprises waiting for us.

I took a deep breath and took my first step forward. When I did, I heard a crumbling sound. My eyes shot up to the source; the gargoyle’s head moved to look at me with its two glistening agate eyes.

“You are not Braccus Rex,” it spoke in a shadowy voice. I realized it was my cue. I reached into my pocket and held out the ring for the gargoyle to see. It then tilted its head.

“Welcome back master,” it said.

Just when it had finished its sentence, I felt the ground beneath me disappear. But as quickly as it disappeared, my feet felt the surface of a stone floor. My eyes caught up and I realized that all four of us were on the inside of the wall. In front of me was a doorway to a large tower. When I turned around, I saw the maze. I realized the ring allowed us to bypass the entire labyrinth. I looked up to see the same gargoyle perched over the doorway. Like before, it moved its crackling head to look at me.

“Your inmates have long awaited you return, your highness. Welcome back.”

It then moved back to its default position looking blankly forward. I looked at my partners and we shared a look of surprise.

“I guess that’s some trouble we avoided thanks to this,” I held the ring between my index finger and thumb.

“Indeed,” Ifan said. “Time to head in and see if we can’t find this vault.”

We all nodded. Ifan went first. He walked up to the door and grabbed ahold of the door handle. He gave it a turn and the door opened without hassle. One by one, we entered the tower. Inside, there was a spiral staircase. The stairs leading up were blocked by rubble so the only way we could go was down.

We followed the descending steps single file. When we emerged from the bottom, we found ourselves in a large room. It was decayed with rubble and vegetation was growing in the pockets of sunlight peering through the holes in the walls and ceiling. To our left there was a wall with a large doorway in the middle.

But to the right was a table. Sitting around it were three undead Skeletons playing cards. They creaked and turned to stare at us with their empty eye sockets.

“A beating heart?” the skeleton of a female human with grey hair still attached to her head said. “Does Braccus need us once more, jailor? Are we finally to be freed?”

I immediately took a step forward and put on my persona.

“You must be the prisoners the gargoyle talked about,” I said. “No, we’re not jailers for Braccus.”

“You’re not one of Braccus’s Brood?” the human undead asked. “You’re not Gratiana’s pet? Then why do you disturb us?”

Hearing Gratiana’s name made my brows shoot up. I was about to ask what Gratiana had to do with this, but the male lizard skeleton spoke up.

“The flesh yearns for our secrets! Did I not say that word world spread of our genius?”

The third skeleton, a female Dwarf, spoke next.

“Even after the maggots took your tongue, you still talk too much. Silence yer jaw!”

I decided to redirect the conversation by talking to the human undead.

“To answer your question, we’re here to find a vault that contains soul jars.”

All three of the undead turned their boney faces to me. Even though they didn’t have faces, I could tell they expressed a mixture of surprise and hope. But then it deflated to the sense of defeat as if realizing the thing they hoped for was an impossibility.

“You’re here to get into the vault that contains our soul jars?” the human undead asked.

_Their Soul Jars?_

I nodded. “Did I not make our intentions obvious?”

The Lizard undead spoke up.

“It’ll be quite a feat to even enter the vault to begin with. And even if you could get past the blasted cursed lever, it’s guarded by traps of a cunning not seen by your babe’s eyes, and-”

“By the horns of Balberith,” the undead human interrupted. “You design ONE reasonable trap and won’t shut up about it for centuries!”

“And thine were better?” the lizard undead shot back at her. “Couldst thou have brought forth such cunning use of light?”

“Mine did not constantly disintegrate the laborers building them,” the human undead fired back.

“The fault was in thine zombies! The worms in your skull follow instruction better than they!”

Hearing their bickering gave an unpleasant feeling that they’ve been dead for a very long time and they’ve had nothing to do except talk to one another. Couldn’t imagine how horrid a fate that would be.

“You said something about a cursed lever?” I asked.

“Of course.” the dwarf undead said. “Braccus couldn’t be too careful to guard his most prized possessions and keeping our souls bound here. Soon as anyone touch that lever, they’d be halfway dead begging to be completely dead.”

Well, that put an obstacle in our plan. Still, this was our only option at this point.

“We’d like to see this lever anyway,” I said.

The skeletons all looked at me again with surprise.

“You’d just walk in and touch the lever?” the human undead asked.

“These fleshlings must have a death wish,” the dwarf undead said. “Let’s see them try it.”

“Our first batch of entertainment in centuries is seeing four fools flail on the ground half dead until they eventually die?” the lizard undead said. “Oh, I’m more excited than ever to see it!”

“As long as it makes you shut up about all those stories you tell us over and over, I’m for it,” the human undead put her cards down and stood up from her chair. She then produced a key from her dusty robes. She walked over and held it out to me.

“You’ll need this to get through the door. You’ll find the gate to the vault on the other side along with the cursed leaver. Hope you don’t mind us tagging along to see the misery that’ll ensue.”

I kept a straight face as I took the key from her bony fingers.

“We appreciate your assistance,” I said. I turned back and walked over to the door. As they said they would, the three skeletons followed us. I took the key and put it into the lock. The door clicked and it swung open. We looked inside to see a wide room with a collection of armors, paintings and decayed pillars and walls. On the other side was the lever undead told us about. Right next to it was an archway that was blocked by a glowing translucent wall.

When we arrived the other side, the three undead walked in front and formally presented the lever to us.

“Here’s your lever,” the dwarf said. “Just simply touch it and you’ll be half dead within seconds.”

But I wasn’t paying attention to the undead who’re eager to see mortal suffering for their first amusement in centuries. Instead my eyes were on a nearby statue. It was a statue of a deity, but the head and hands were missing. Yet somehow, I found myself drawn to it. I started to walk toward it. The others noticed me walking away and followed me. The undead were flabbergasted seeing us ignore the lever. They questioned if we were dumber than the dumbest of the trio.

I stopped at the base of the statue. As I stared at the missing head, I could feel something inside of me. Like a voice speaking from inside my chest. I listened closer and the voice grew louder.

_Kin…child of the dessert suns… come to me_

I felt my entire body shake. Though the statue was immobile, I could feel as if a spirt had inhabited it. That spirt then emerged, reached out and grabbed me. It pulled me out of my own body and took me away into endless darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to combine a few things together to avoid as much filler as possible. Did I do a good job and am I keeping a good pace? Tell me by giving me a review. They go a long way in motivating me to keep the pace up and get these chapters out as soon as possible. Thank you for reading and I’ll see you next chapter.


	14. Chapter 14

My eyes opened. I looked down at my feet. I found myself standing on a familiar metallic floor. I looked up. All around were hexagonal pillars, either small ones the size of the palm of my hand or big ones made of multiple small ones. The air was still and quiet surrounded by a green aura.

_The Hall of Echoes? Again? Is this another dream?_

Before I could question it further, I saw several nearby pillars shift down. It revealed a path through the clusters. I put my feet forward and followed the path laid before me. I continued until I saw a glowing figure standing on a protruding edge of a cliff.

As I moved closer, I heard the figure humming a gentle tune. When I got close enough, I saw it was a female lizard. Sensing my presence, she stopped her humming and gracefully turned to face me. When I saw her onyx eyes, three-layered crown and feathered shoulders, I felt my entire body almost give way from the realization. From the statues I’ve seen all over the Ancient Empire, it was undeniable.

Zorl-Stissa. The Goddess of the Lizards.

She gently raised her hands to me and began to sing.

“I called a hero from the chaff; I called her here to me. I called a hero from below, and she shall set us free.”

Her gentle voice soothed me. Like a mother comforting her child. Her hands and her eyes beckoned me to come closer. I approached her slowly as she sung again.

“Hear and heed my call, my love, your hand is mine to hold; hear and heed my call, my love. I've secrets to unfold.”

I found myself kneeling before her. Her onyx eyes peered affectionately into mine. She then cradled my face into her hands.

“You are mine, you are my own; your life belongs to me. You are mine, you are my own; my champion to be.”

The last words that Zorl-Stissa said suddenly made me feel something. It was something that didn’t feel right. I pealed my eyes away and gasped. I pulled my head out of her hands and stumbled backwards onto my back. Her loving eyes turned into narrow slits and she put her hand under her chin. She looked me up and down, as if evaluating me.

“You surprise me, child,” she said. “You seemed easily persuasive at first. But it seems you have some resilience to trust after all. Perhaps I have chosen well.”

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. I brought myself to my feet.

“Chosen? You were… testing me?” I asked her.

She brought her hand down from her chin.

“Of course,” she said. “I must know if you are worthy to be my champion.”

The last word echoed in my head.

“Champion?” I asked. “What do you mean?”

She stood tall and proud. Her form represented that of a pose that was perfect for a painting.

“You will lead our kind back to divinity. You will ascend. You are my Godwoken.”

_Divinity? Ascend? Godwoken?_

I looked at her again. I imagined my face looked like that of a bamboozled child.

“I… don’t understand…”

She smiled.

“Let me show you.”

She brought up her hands again. Her eyes glowed brighter as a stream of almost liquid energy swirled around her arms down to her hands. The energy flowed from her fingers into the air. It closed the distance and poured into my chest. I felt it fill my body, like a goblet being filled with the most luxurious wine. It filled me more and more until it reached the top of my head and the tips of my toes. I looked at my hands, feeling the energy that brewed in them. It was the most amazing feeling I’ve felt in my whole life. It felt…perfect.

I looked at Zorl-Stissa again. She smiled seeing me in a blissful state.

“I have unlocked a great power within you,” she said. “One only those like you can wield.”

I looked at my hands again. “What is this?”

“I have blessed the very water beneath your feet. Now with your control of source, you may wield that power for yourself.”

Hearing this gave me a sense of wonder. Before, when I practiced with my source powers, I could cast stronger spells on training dummies and create a dome of protection from arrows or spells thrown at me. But this… this was something else. I felt I could not only heal the gravest of wounds but cure the sadness out of anyone. When the wonder dissipated and I was able to focus, I looked at Zorl-Stissa again.

“Why are you giving this to me?” I asked.

“You will need this if you are to accomplish the task I lay before you.”

_Task?_

“What do you need me to do?” I asked.

She slowly approached me, putting her soothing hands onto my shoulders. She looked deep into my eyes.

“Over time I will ask much of you, my champion. But for now, I ask little more than what you know in your heart must be done.”

Her eyes emphasized the importance of what she was going to say next.

“Escape this place. Escape the grasp of those who would harm you. You matter - you above all others. Even those you may love.”

She was really emphasizing that I was to live. It suddenly made me remember what happened two nights ago.

“So, it was you,” I said. “You saved me from drowning in the sea after the monster attacked the prison ship.”

The goddess nodded her head.

“But why?” I asked. “Why me? I’m just a scholar of the House of Law. I’m very inexperienced.”

She let go of my shoulders and took a step back.

“Capability is learnt. So too experience. What I need is not the wisdom of experience, but the fire of potential. This I see within you, above all my many children. I hope I am not wrong.”

There was a pause between us allowing me to ponder what was happening right now. Then a thought crossed my mind.

“But what of the other gods?” I asked. “Where are they?”

The Goddess looked back at the cavern over the edge of the cliff. She beckoned me to follow her. I did so. We stood at the edge to see what was happening below. I saw six other figures who were embroiled in a chaotic battle.

“A new era is upon us, child,” Zorl-Stissa said. “Not only does man battle man, but god battles god as well. They who prevail will set the new order. We cannot fall to the bottom.”

She peeled her eyes away from the battle and looked over at me. I did the same.

“The others are seeking champions of their own. I have seen the company you travel with. They, along with many others that have crossed your path, may be aligned to the very powers who would see us destroyed.”

Hearing Zorl-Stissa saying this made me feel even more uncertain. The gods were at war with each other. They were all looking for avatars to carry out their will. But if that were true, did that mean my friends were champions of other gods too? Were they potential threats? Was she suggesting what I thought she was? If so, it was unthinkable.

“Are you saying you want me to kill my friends?”

The goddess crossed her arms.

“The choice is up to you. Kill them now. Use them to your benefit. Leave them and journey alone. Or convince them to stand aside. It matters not. Only that you be the one to complete the journey before anyone else.”

I suddenly felt my body shutter. I clutched my chest. It felt like something was pulling me. Zorl-Stissa spoke to me one last time.

“I have chosen you as my champion. I believe in you. If you choose to undertake this journey, I have faith you will succeed. You will protect us. I know it.”

* * *

 

I gasped. The air that filled my lungs brought my senses back. I looked back to see I was back in the Tower of Braccus Rex with the other three gasping too. Not only that, they wore faces that showed the same amount of bewilderment as I did.

“Did it happen to you too?” Ifan asked us.

My mind raced remembering what just happened.

“I spoke to Zorl-Stissa herself,” I said. “She told me I was her chosen, to lead the Lizards back to divinity.”

“That’s amusing,” the Red Prince said. Everyone turned their heads to him.

“How?” I asked him.

“Because I had the exact same conversation myself.”

Zorl-Stissa spoke to him too?

“How’s that possible?” I asked. The Red Prince looked just as bamboozled as I did.

“If you ask me,” Sebille said. “She must be considering one of you to be backup.”

The tone of her voice suggested she didn’t have much of an enlightening experience as I did.

“Did you meet your god too, Sebille?” I asked.

She sighed and looked away. She wandered over to one of the nearby pillars and leaned against it. She stared at the floor, thinking about what she had seen.

“Indeed,” she said still staring at the floor. “I’ve had the pleasure of conversing with the great Tir-Cendelius.”

She pushed herself off the pillar and looked back at me.

“Of course, when I say pleasure,” she walked back to us. “I mean the distinct dishonor.”

_Uh-oh_

“What happened?” I asked.

“What always happens,” she looked at the Red Prince and Ifan then back to me. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

It probably wasn’t the best time either way.

“Okay,” I said. “But if you change your mind later…”

Sebille gave a small grin in the corner of her mouth.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said.

I looked over at Ifan.

“Did you meet Rhalic?” I asked him.

He filled his cheeks with air before blowing it out of his mouth.

“I did indeed speak to the god of the humans,” he said. “A god I don’t believe in told me things about myself I don’t believe. Yeah.”

He adjusted himself and took a firm stance.

“Regardless, we should focus on the here and now. We can talk about all of this later.”

Ifan’s words brought me back to our situation. I looked over at the lever and the three undead who looked flabbergasted. I imagined we looked like a bunch of nut jobs speaking nonsense. Then I remembered something. I looked down at my hands. I felt my entire body was filled with something. It was source. Fresh source that filled me with a sense of fruitful power.

Without a collar, I could feel it flow freely. I was able to let it out of my body. I remembered what Zorl-Stissa had given to me. I focused my mind and I felt the source surge through my body. It flowed from my chest up to my hands. They both glowed with the same radiating light Zorl-Stissa did in the Hall of Echoes. I looked over at the others. They looked at their own hands and sure enough, they glowed the same way.

“I think we have found a solution to the problem we’ve stumbled across.”

I walked past the three undead who only watched me as they bickered to one another. I stopped at the lever and looked at it. I closed my eyes and held out my hand just inches away from the lever. I could feel the radiant, toxic aura the curse gave off. If I touched the lever, I had an idea of how this curse would ravage my body.

But as the source in my body flowed back to my hands, I felt the intoxicating aura subside. I focused the source more until I felt an amount of it leave my body. I opened my eyes. I saw a light emerge from the base of the lever and slowly creep up the metal. It looked as if the light was peeling away the darkness of the curse, leaving it to evaporate harmlessly into the air. Eventually, it reached the top, leaving no trace of darkness behind.

I reached out and touched the bare metal of the lever. The undead’s jaws hung open, almost to the point where they would fall from their faces. I pulled the lever. It clicked and I felt a part of the room rumble. I let go and looked at the translucent wall. Slowly at first, the wall faded away leaving us with an open archway to a set of spiral stairs that descended into the earth below.

The other three came to my side and we looked at each other.

“It seems the gods have given us the keys to our freedom,” I said.

“Indeed, they have,” Ifan said. He bowed and gestured his hand to the stairs. “After you.”

I nodded my head and, shooting a smile at everyone else, took a step to the archway.

“Wait!” I heard the undead human shout. We stopped and turned to her.

“You’ve actually accessed the vault,” she said in an awestruck voice.

“Yes, I did,” I said. “What of it?”

“That means you can go into the vault and destroy our soul jars,” she showed an unreal sense of exactment. I raised my brows.

“Destroy them?”

“Yes. If you destroy them, we’ll be free. Our souls will no longer be held here. We’ll be able to pass on to the Hall of Echoes.”

“Oh…” the lizard skeleton sighed and looked up to one of the holes in the ceiling. “To embrace death. I had all but given up hope that it could ever happen.”

“Please do this for us. We would be eternally grateful.” The dwarf undead said.

I looked down the stairway that lead to the vault. Gratiana told me that she would be able to heal the injured at the camp if I gave her the soul jars. But these poor souls wanted me to destroy the jars. I had a feeling Gratiana was hiding some details. Perhaps I was about to find out once I headed inside and saw it for myself.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I said. “First I’ve got to get passed the traps you’ve set up for us.”

“Of course,” the human undead said. “We would gladly join you to disarm them ourselves, but our curse prevents us from leaving this tower. But if you were able to get past the cursed lever, you’ll no doubt be able to get past our traps.”

“Well do you have any advice about what to expect?” I asked them.

“Just remember that not everything is what it seems down there,” the lizard undead said. “There are illusions that can lead to messy results.”

“We’ll keep that in mind,” I said. “Thank you.”

“We graciously await our deaths,” the human skeleton bowed her clanking body and waved to the other two to leave us be. They walked through the door and around the corner to the table. We assembled together and went down the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to be longer, but it turned out to be too much for one chapter. So, I broke the second half into the next chapter. That’ll be up later this week. As usual, a review goes a long way. Thank you for reading and see you next chapter.


	15. Chapter 15

The stairs twisted downward. Eventually, the stone walls decayed enough to the point it opened to a cave with an underground river running through it. In the center were the ruins of a building. The vault must have had an elaborate set up of hallways filled with the traps the three undead set up. Now, our way directly into it was blocked off by a giant boulder.

"We should split up and look for a way around," Ifan said. The rest of us nodded.

We split up and looked around. Eventually, I came across wall with an open doorway to the left of the boulder. Before I could reach the doorway, something appeared in the corner of my eye. I jumped and drew my wand. The thing that appeared was another undead skeleton. This time it was a male human wearing leather armor and a tunic. He didn't draw a weapon on me. Instead he called over to me in a rather irritating voice.

"Hey! Hey you! Lemme see what you've got under there. Go on, show me your… tits!"

I had my persona on when I sighed and lowered my wand to my side.

"Well that'll be difficult considering I don't have any," I said in a rather bored voice.

"Then… why don't you show me anyway? I'd like to see what's there instead." he said. I rolled my eyes.

"Look, we're looking for the vault to find a purging wand. Do you mind telling us how to get to it? We'd really appreciate your help."

The skeleton looked at me blankly until he replied; "How awkward. See the thing is…" He paused and looked around. "Just stop. This place is off limits!"

He didn't raise a weapon to me. I assumed he was all bark and no bite.

"Well, since you won't help me, I'll just be off," I turned my back on him.

"Until next time," I heard him say. I then heard a poof and when I looked back, he was gone. The others had met up with me just as the skeleton disappeared.

"What was that noise?" Ifan asked.

"It was another undead," I said. "He appeared out of nowhere, but he just tried to annoy me. Might be one of those illusions."

"Maybe," Ifan said. "So, did you find a way around the debris?"

"I think I might have," I pointed to the doorway. "Let's check this way."

We walked through the doorway to find a broken bridge that used to stick out over a river. We wouldn't be able to get over the river that way. However, remembering that the undead showed up, it did give me a hunch.

"Perhaps…"

I kneeled and grabbed a handful of pebbles. I tossed them over the river and instead of plopping into the water, the little rocks landed onto a surface above it.

"An invisible bridge," I said. I looked over at the others.

"Clever," the Red Prince said. Clever for me or clever for the builders? It didn't matter.

I went first and put my foot out. I found my footing on the bridge and put my other foot on. I slowly crossed the unseen path and the others did the same after me. Once across, we leapt off onto the cave floor on the other side. We saw a path in the cave that looked to curve around back to the other side of the ruins. We followed it. We got halfway around before we came across a wide opening in the cave floor. There, we met a familiar face.

"Didn't I tell you to leave?" the skeleton appeared atop of a boulder in the center. "Wasn't I clear that you're not welcome here?"

"And wasn't I clear we are in need of a purging wand?" I shot back at him.

"You can't teach a fool anything..." He sighed. Just then, two more skeletons appeared on elevated ledges behind us. The one on the left ledge drew his wand and the one the right drew his bow. The one on the boulder jumped down with his sword drawn. We drew our weapons and Ifan shouted; "Prince, Sebille front! Mahalia, left!"

I locked onto my target behind on the left ledge. The Red Prince and Sebille charged forward while I leapt to the right wall and Ifan leapt to the left wall. I had dodged an arrow from the archer and Ifan evaded the mage's ice attack. I took aim and shot a quick ball of lightening that hit the archer square in the head. I saw Ifan launch his arrow in the corner of my eye but didn't see if it hit his target. I brought my hands up and muttered the spell. Three wades of hail appeared above and dropped on top of the archer one by one. Instead of crumbling down into a pile of frozen bones, he just disappeared in a cloud of smoke. I brought my gaze to Ifan who had loaded a new arrow into this crossbow and launched it. I ran out and turned to see the skeleton mage with an arm fallen off and the other arrow in his empty eye socket. I swung my arm back, muttered my lightening spell and launched it right into the mage's chest. The skeleton jerked erratically from the electricity surging through his bones before he too disappeared into smoke.

We turned to the Red Prince and Sebille's engagement. It turned out the two-on-one battle went as you'd expect. The Red Prince put on the finishing touch taking off the skeleton's head. And like the others, the skeleton disappeared with a poof. A large golden chest then appeared on top the boulder. We all looked up at it.

"Ah," the Red Prince said. "A reward for taking care of the cave's nuisance."

"Wait!" I shouted. No one moved. I pulled my wand back and threw another lightening ball right at the chest. As I suspected, the chest disappeared into a burst of flames.

"Everything isn't what it seems," I said. That must have been one of the traps the three undead designed.

"Smart girl," Sebille said.

We all put our weapons away. We took a breath and continued down the path that hooked back to the ruins. We arrived at another open doorway that seemed to lead into a room. Just as we were about to enter the doorway, a rat walked out and stopped right in the middle of it. We looked down at it and it looked up to us.

"Do you suppose it's another illusion?" Sebille asked.

"Only one way to find out," Ifan walked forward and kneeled before the rat.

"Hey there fella," Ifan said. "You hungry?"

The rat clicked its teeth together and hopped three times. Ifan chuckled and reached into his pocket. He produced a small piece of bread and placed it on the floor. The rat came over and immediately dug into it. After eating its fill, the rat gave a sequence of squeaks. Ifan raised his eyebrows.

"What riddle?"

The rat squeaked some more until it scurried off to a small hole in the rocks. Ifan stood up and looked at us.

"What'd he say?" I asked.

"He asked if I wanted to know what the riddle meant. He said it has to do with the letters."

"What riddle?" the Red Prince asked.

"It must be the test to enter the vault," I said. "A riddle that has to do with the letters. Hm…"

I pondered for a moment. I looked in the room.

"Better go in to figure out what the riddle is," I went first through the doorway and the others followed. We found ourselves in a pristine room complete with decretive swords and paintings on the walls. There were four doors and in the center was a statue of an armored human.

"I don't see how a riddle will help us here," the Red Prince.

"Perhaps it's written somewhere," I approached the statue and looked at the base of it. Perhaps there was an inscription or something there. But I jumped when a voice suddenly boomed above me.

"You come to find. You come to search."

I looked up to see it was the statue who was speaking to me through the faceplate of the helmet.

"But you won't find the way. A pity."

I raised my eyebrow.

"Are you the one who asks the riddle?" I asked him.

"I am the one to ask the questions, not answer them!" the statue boomed again. "Do you wish to go forward?"

We all exchanged glances with each other. This statue was straight and to the point.

"Yes, of course we do," I said.

"Listen closely and make your attempt," The statue commenced the riddle. "Braccus is a bloody, rotten, thieving, very, very awful fellow. Some even call him a cur! A cur is..."

_A cur? Braccus is a bloody, rotten, thieving, very, very awful fellow. The Letters. What does it mean?_

I started to pace the room thinking about what the riddle meant.

_Letters. B-R-A-C-C-U-S. Bloody, rotten, thieving, very, very…_

I snapped my fingers.

"A cur is very awful and rotten!"

That statue was silent for a moment but then spoke again.

"Perhaps you are not totally incapable after all," Just then, one of the four doors opened.

"The path is opened. Go freely."

The statue fell silent. Everyone then looked at me.

"How'd you know?" the Red Prince asked me.

I put up my fingers to mark the letters.

"B-R-A-C-C-U-S."

Then I marked them again with the words.

"Bloody, rotten, thieving, very, very, awful, fellow,"

Then I put my fingers down except for the ones that represented C, U and R.

"A cur is very, awful and rotten."

I put my hands down.

"The letters."

Sebille and Ifan were impressed, so too was the Prince.

"I probably wouldn't be able to figure that one out," Ifan said.

"Well," I responded. "I wouldn't have known the trick to the riddle if you weren't a fauna tongue."

"I suppose so," Ifan said. He looked at the open doorway. "Anyway, onwards?"

I nodded. We walked through the door and followed a straight hallway. It led to a completely open cavern where several stone bridges used to be. All around were scattered pillars holding up separated bridge sections. It must have been another one of those invisible bridge scenarios. Though the scattered sections of bridges gave me an unsettling feeling it was an elaborate maze. One false step, and it would be a long way down to the sharp rocks below. At the corner of the other side was a flight of stairs leading into the cave wall. The vault must have been through there.

"Should we do this one at a time?" Sebille asked. "Follow the leader one-by-one?"

"It could work," I said. "Although…"

Everyone looked at me.

"You have another idea?" the Red Prince asked.

"It's worth a try," I said. "Stand back."

They did so and I took my stance. I spoke the words and raised my hands above. A serge and energy shook the air above. Clouds formed on the cave ceiling and it started to rain. The droplets fell and landed on top of the invisible bridges. A thin layer of water formed showing the maze of bridges that lead to the other side.

"Smart thinking," Ifan said.

"Thanks," I said. "Better take it slow. It'll be slippery."

I went first. Slowly, I put one talon in front of the other and the others followed single file. We were about halfway through the maze when the worst possible thing happened.

"Open your eyes. Time to die!"

The undead appeared again on one of the intact bridges. With a wave of his hands, three other undead appeared on the other stone bridges around us. We were surrounded. The archer and mage we saw before launched their attacks at us. I sprung into action and quickly channeled the source within me. I shot my arms out and a dome of protection emerged just in time to stop the projectiles. We drew our weapons and bunched together. We looked around to see a fourth skeleton with dual daggers leap from his place and land onto the soaked bridge just outside of the dome. The dome wouldn't be able to stop opponents from entering and exiting the circle. Luckily, Ifan had already formulated a plan.

"Sebille, Prince, take him first," he shot his arm at the approaching rouge. "Then give her a shield boost to there." He shot his hand to the archer positioned slightly above to the rouge's left. He turned and pointed to the original undead.

"Mahilia, ice him."

He pointed to the mage on the stone bridge to the right.

"Then help me double team him."

"Got it," I took my stance. The dome disappeared. The Red Prince and Sebille charged at the rouge. The Red Prince swung his sword. But the sword didn't hit its target. The rouge instead disappeared and reappeared behind the Red Prince. But before the skeleton could backstab the venerable lizard, Sebille put her own knives into the undead's back. The Red Prince turned around to see the rouge but then looked at the archer. He raised his shield just in time to deflect the arrow shot at him. The undead rouge rapidly swung his knives at Sebille, leaving her to dodge and block all the attacks thrown at her. Sebille then parried the undead into a gridlock.

The Red Prince took his opening and swung his sword horizontally. The sword slashed through the rouge's spinal column, cutting the skeleton clean in half before disappearing into a puff of smoke.

Meanwhile, I brought my arms up and brought down a barrage of hail on top of the sword skeleton. Ifan fired his arrow into the mage's arm, separating it from his body like last time. Also, like last time, I cast the same lightning spell into its chest. It jolted and disappeared.

The Red Prince and Sebille turned their attention to the archer. The archer launched an arrow at Sebille. The Red Prince stepped in and blocked the arrow with his shield. Sebille gave the Red Prince a tap on the shoulder. He gave a quick glance and nodded. He kneeled and Sebille leapt on top of the Red Prince's shield. With all his might, the Red Prince pushed himself up and launched Sebille into the air. The Archer tried to aim his newly loaded crossbow at her, but he was already too late.

Ifan and I looked over to the swordsman. Unfortunately, the ice spell I put on him didn't slow him down enough. He leapt from his spot and was charging right at me. I didn't have anywhere to evade. I started to panic. But then I heard someone say: "Duck!"

I did so and looked back. I saw a white blur wiz over me and collide with the skeleton, forcing him down onto his back. I stood up and saw it was a white wolf who wrestled with the skeleton. It grabbed ahold of the bony arm of the skeleton with its teeth. The skeleton shoved the wolf off of him, but the wolf managed to pull the arm off.

"I've got this!" Red Prince ran right past us and slammed himself against the undead just as it stood up. The skeleton was launched off the edge and into the pit. Unfortunately, the Red Prince was a little too fast. He found himself teetering over the edge. Ifan and I managed to get to him in time and pull him back. The Red Prince landed on his bottom. He looked up at us with an irritated face.

"Couldn't you have grabbed me by the arm instead?" the Red Prince rubbed his tail in his lap. "That really hurt."

"Sorry," Ifan said. "We would have been too late if we hadn't grabbed your tail."

The Red Prince sighed and got to his feet. Sebille rejoined us having taken care of the last undead herself. The wolf then stood up and pranced over to us. I looked at the wolf's cheery face and noticed its eyes were the same color as Ifan's. Forest green.

"Is this your soul wolf?" I asked Ifan.

"He is," Ifan said and formally presented his pet to us. "I'd like you to meet Afrit."

The wolf yipped and panted as he strode over to me. I reached down and gently petted him on the head. He accepted it graciously.

"Thank you for saving me there," I told the wolf. Afrit yipped happily. He walked over to Sebille and she gave him a pet too. But when it was the Red Prince's turn, Afrit just growled and turned away. The Red Prince snorted and crossed his arms. Ifan only shrugged. Afrit then looked up at Ifan. Afrit then howled and dissolved into a flash of light that flowed into Ifan's chest.

"Thanks for having my back there," I said to Ifan. "If it weren't for you and Afrit, I would have been seriously hurt or even dead."

"You covered my back before, so why wouldn't I return the favor?" He said.

"Good point," I looked at the remaining bridges we needed to cross. "Hopefully this'll be the last surprise."

We continued navigating the bridges until we finally made it to the stairway. We climbed the stairs to find another archway. We walked through it. With no other surprises, we found ourselves inside the vault.

"That's…plenty."

In the middle of the room was a large pile of gold coins. Far too big to carry everything in our bags combined. But the more interesting parts laid on the pedestals around the room. On five of them, there were gray jars with a surging energy coming from within them. Those must have been the soul jars. On the sixth, there lay a single wand.

I immediately went over to the wand. It was indeed the purging wand like the one High Judge showed me back at the fort. I took a hold of it and felt the energy it held. The key to getting off the island was now in my possession. I put the wand into the vacant wand holster on my left hip.

Then I approached the nearest soul jar. But before I could get close enough, a familiar poof appeared next to me. I reached for my own wand on my right hip. But instead of a quick line before he tried to kill me, the skeleton instead was on one knee and looking up at me.

"You..." he spoke in a very different tone than he did. I could hear he was exhausted. Not physically, but emotionally. "You made it all this way..."

The others came to me, but I signaled them to hold off. I looked at the inscription on the rim of the jar. It read a name: Trompdoy.

"You must be Trompdoy," I said. "I suppose you were cursed by Braccus Rex like the other undead up the stairs?"

Trompdoy looked up at me. His eye sockets were empty, but I could see traces of sadness and regrets lingering within him.

"It's the Source King's way. Befriend you, then destroy you. I was a fool to expect I'd be an exception. His favor was... Intoxicating. That's no excuse, but it is the reason."

Hearing him this bluntly gave me a peek into what happened to him. It also gave me an idea of what happened to the three undead in the tower. I looked at the soul jar again.

"We made a promise to destroy the soul jars for the undead in the tower. Do you want us to destroy yours too?"

Trompdoy looked up suddenly. I could read he was rejuvenated with hope.

"You would do that for me?"

I nodded.

"No one should suffer like this," I said.

"Oh yes. Yes!" He dropped his second knee onto the ground and groveled before me. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Trompdoy stood up and suddenly reached into his pockets.

"I'd like to give you something in return."

He reached into his cloak and pulled out four small bags.

"Use these to carry all of the riches you come across. You don't need to worry about space."

I accepted the bags and looked inside one of them. The inside looked larger than it did on the outside. My eyes widened.

"Magic coin purses," I said. We'd be able to take all the gold here with us. "Thank you."

"No, it is I who must thank you," he glanced over at the soul jar then back at me. I nodded my head to him. First, I handed the coin purses to my companions. Then I stood before the soul jar. Slowly, I took ahold of it and lifted it off the pedestal. I could feel the swirling energy residing within the jar. I looked down at the floor then at Trompdoy. He gently nodded his head. I took a breath and raised my hands. I threw the jar down onto the stone floor. It shattered into thousands of pieces and a swirling ball of energy emerged. In the corner of my eye, I saw Trompdoy suddenly collapse into a pile of bones. The ball then morphed into the form of a human man.

"Thank you," he said. He looked up. "The Hall of Echoes awaits."

His soul then faded away into nothing. Although I had technically killed someone, I didn't feel any regret about it. Knowing his soul was free from a curse, I didn't feel bad. I looked over at the others.

"Aren't you concerned that we might have prevented Gratiana's plan to heal the sick by destroying that jar?" Sebille asked.

I looked over at the other jars on the pedestals. I had another hunch.

"I don't think so," I said. "Take a look at the names on the other jars."

Everyone went to the jar nearest to them. The one I walked to read Rask on the outside.

"You should see this," the Red Prince called to us. We went over to his jar and looked at the name on it. I read it aloud.

"Gratiana."

We all looked at each other.

"What does this mean," Sebille asked.

"It means Gratiana has some explaining to do," Ifan said. "But the question is, what do we do with the rest of the jars?"

I looked over at the three remaining jars in the room.

"I think we should destroy the other jars to honor the undead up the stairs. But we should take this jar with us to give to Gratiana. I imagine it's what she wanted all along."

"Sounds reasonable," Ifan said. "But we should get some answers from her in exchange for it."

The other two nodded and I did too.

"Okay," I said. "Let's do this."

The others went over to the three remaining jars while I gently took ahold of Gratiana's jar and put it into my backpack. Ifan, Sebille and the Red Prince took ahold of the remaining jars and, in unison, threw them onto the floor. All three jars shattered like glass and the souls of a human, lizard and dwarf emerged from them. They all gave their thanks to us and faded into the air. Once that was finished, the Red Prince held out his magic coin purse and eyed the pile of gold.

"Shall we?" He said.

"We're going to need coin to get by once we get off the island," Ifan said. "Each of us should take a share."

We surrounded the pile of gold and took turns taking handfuls of coin and stuffing them into our purses. This continued until the pile was gone and the last few stray coins were divided between us.

"Now, how exactly do we get out of here?" Sebille asked.

I looked behind me to see another doorway leading out of the room. We walked through it to find ourselves in a smaller room with a lever in the middle of it. Knowing the dangers of the previous lever, I slowly reached out to it. I didn't feel anything that resembled the previous curse, so I took a hold of the lever. I pulled it and with a loud click, the wall in front of us slide open. We stepped through to find ourselves back at the beginning of the cave right next to the boulder that blocked the original entrance. We saw the staircase leading back up to the tower.

"Onwards and upwards," Ifan said. We walked up the spiraled stairs to find ourselves back in the tower of Braccus Rex. We walked across the room and passed through the door the entrance hall. We looked to the left where the table was. As expected, the three skeletons were replaced with three piles of bones. They were free. It felt good knowing their souls wouldn't have to suffer any longer. We walked up the spiral staircase and emerged into the blinding sunlight of the end of labyrinth. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring again. I held it up to the gargoyle.

"I'm finished here," I said. "If you would be so kind to escort me out, I'd apricate it."

Faster than expected, we found ourselves teleported outside to the entrance of the manor.

"Return home soon master," the gargoyle above the gate said and returned to its regular position.

We looked at each other.

"I guess that's that," Sebille said. "We got what we came for so all we need to do is go back and give the things to the right people."

"Sounds like a plan," I said. The others nodded.

"But the question is," Sebille looked down at the ring in my hand. "What should we do with that?

I looked down at the ring. I still felt the lingering cold pain in my hand and the whisper in my ear to put it on.

"No one will be needing this anymore," I said. I walked over to the nearby cliff and looked at the ring one last time. With all my strength, I swung my arm back and threw the ring as hard as I could. I watched as the ring traveled through the air and slowly descend into the forest below. But I didn't see where it landed because something else caught my eye.

In the distance on the beachhead was something. Something I had never believed I would ever see with my own two eyes. I was frozen. The others came to my side and looked where I was looking. They froze too.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" I asked. "Or did that ring have an extra curse that gives hallucinations?"

"You're not hallucinating," Ifan said. "I see it too."

"So do I," the Red Prince said.

"Me too," Sebille said.

We stared at it for some time before I quickly turned around and started running down the hill.

"We need to get down there right now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, totally original idea of having a magic bag to hold everything you need that wasn't used first in a movie where a human witch and her two wizard best friends search a magical world to find seven cursed objects to destroy. :P
> 
> Also, I know this was a longer chapter than usual, but I needed that little cliffhanger at the end. Can any of you guess what's coming next? 😊
> 
> As always, a review helps and thank you for reading. See you next chapter.


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